Tara Rawls from Virginia Beach, Virginia was diagnosed with septic shock August 2020.

Tara, 35, had heard of sepsis, but really didn't know much about it - let alone the symptoms. While waiting in the hospital she saw an infographic on the television screens  - “Know the Signs and Symptoms of Sepsis” and listed them. Tara immediately told the nurse she thought she had sepsis and that was the last thing she remembers for 12 days as she was intubated and in a medically induced coma. After 75 days in the hospital all Tara could think was “what if I never saw that screen.” She is thankful to have found Begin Again Foundation to help in her healing process as well as educating others about the dangers of sepsis.

After partial hand amputations and loss of half of her toes, Tara is awaiting surgery for her left hand and prosthetics for her right fingers and toes. Tara has a fighting spirit and faced all these obstacles while raising her 14 year-old son during a pandemic.