“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young,” the apostle Paul told a young Timothy, “but set an example for the believers” (1 Tim 4:12).
10-year-old Barney Hossain is proof that you don’t have to be a grown up to make a difference, having raised thousands of dollars to go towards sepsis awareness.
Sepsis shook the Hossain whānau after Barney was hospitalised with it last year.
An uncontrolled immune response to infection, sepsis can occur in anyone – up to 50,000 New Zealanders contract it every year. It’s a life-threatening condition that needs quick treatment, but it can be hard to recognise.
Sepsis Trust NZ is a charity which works to raise awareness of the signs of sepsis in both the general public and amongst health professionals. When I spoke to Barney, he told me he raised money “so they could get more awareness and they could tell more people”.
Health advocacy runs in the family. Barney’s father, Mark, is a general practitioner, and after last year’s harrowing encounter with sepsis, Ally is now the newly appointed CEO for Sepsis Trust NZ, having previously been its communications and engagement director.
The Hossain whānau have also been connected to Nelson Cathedral for the past five years. Ally and Mark are choristers, and Barney is involved with the kids’ church.
Ally was eager to express her gratitude for the cathedral’s “love, support and encouragement”. The community prayed for Barney’s recovery while cathedral dean Graham O’Brien regularly checked in. “It was very uplifting,” Ally said. “It's such a warm and welcoming community.”
On one of the main days of Barney’s fundraising this year, he was also able to run his stall at Nelson Cathedral at the end of both services.
When I asked Barney what he wanted to say to Kōrero readers, he replied, “Thank you to everyone who supported me, and thank you God for leading me in my path to getting here right now.”
So, keep an eye out for sepsis the next time you or a loved one suffer an infection – it is treatable! But it’s tricky to spot, and the quicker it’s treated, the better the outcome. If you’re ever concerned, you can just ring emergency services and ask: “Could it be sepsis?”
Visit the Sepsis Trust NZ website for a host of resources and information.
Check out other articles in the
series below.
More articles in the
series are to come.
We have invited these writers to share their experiences, ideas and opinions in the hope that these will provoke thought, challenge you to go deeper and inspire you to put your faith into action. These articles should not be taken as the official view of the Nelson Diocese on any particular matter.
“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young,” the apostle Paul told a young Timothy, “but set an example for the believers” (1 Tim 4:12).
10-year-old Barney Hossain is proof that you don’t have to be a grown up to make a difference, having raised thousands of dollars to go towards sepsis awareness.
Sepsis shook the Hossain whānau after Barney was hospitalised with it last year.
An uncontrolled immune response to infection, sepsis can occur in anyone – up to 50,000 New Zealanders contract it every year. It’s a life-threatening condition that needs quick treatment, but it can be hard to recognise.
Sepsis Trust NZ is a charity which works to raise awareness of the signs of sepsis in both the general public and amongst health professionals. When I spoke to Barney, he told me he raised money “so they could get more awareness and they could tell more people”.
Health advocacy runs in the family. Barney’s father, Mark, is a general practitioner, and after last year’s harrowing encounter with sepsis, Ally is now the newly appointed CEO for Sepsis Trust NZ, having previously been its communications and engagement director.
The Hossain whānau have also been connected to Nelson Cathedral for the past five years. Ally and Mark are choristers, and Barney is involved with the kids’ church.
Ally was eager to express her gratitude for the cathedral’s “love, support and encouragement”. The community prayed for Barney’s recovery while cathedral dean Graham O’Brien regularly checked in. “It was very uplifting,” Ally said. “It's such a warm and welcoming community.”
On one of the main days of Barney’s fundraising this year, he was also able to run his stall at Nelson Cathedral at the end of both services.
When I asked Barney what he wanted to say to Kōrero readers, he replied, “Thank you to everyone who supported me, and thank you God for leading me in my path to getting here right now.”
So, keep an eye out for sepsis the next time you or a loved one suffer an infection – it is treatable! But it’s tricky to spot, and the quicker it’s treated, the better the outcome. If you’re ever concerned, you can just ring emergency services and ask: “Could it be sepsis?”
Visit the Sepsis Trust NZ website for a host of resources and information.
Check out other articles in the
series below.
More articles in the
series are to come.
