A SEPSIS Survivor from St Austell has walked for 24 hours straight without stopping to raise funds and awareness for The UK Sepsis Trust (UKST).

Sky Owen started the challenge at 6pm on Saturday, September 12, two years to the hour since she was admitted to hospital with sepsis.

The 24-year-old kept walking through the night and into Sunday, before finally completing the task at 6pm on World Sepsis Day (Sunday, September 13).

The challenge holds deep personal significance for Skye, who was hospitalised for four weeks in September 2024 after developing sepsis caused by a Staphylococcus aureus infection.

Her first symptom was severe back and hip pain that left her unable to move, prompting an ambulance call. Further tests revealed infection in her hip and sacroiliac joints, and dangerously high infection levels led to a diagnosis of sepsis.

She spent weeks in hospital receiving treatment before continuing her recovery at home with a specialist care team administering intravenous antibiotics.

During her recovery, Skye had to relearn how to walk, which is part of what has driven her to take on one walking challenge after another.

Earlier this year, Skye walked the entire 630-mile South West Coast Path from Minehead to Poole, and was nominated for a JustGiving Award 2026 in the Mind Over Miles category.

She said: “The challenge began exactly two years after I was admitted to hospital with Sepsis, an experience that changed my life forever, and will finish on World Sepsis Day.

“It’s the perfect way to bring my story full circle while using the challenge to raise as much awareness of Sepsis as I can. I’m also dedicating this challenge to little Nova, whose family I met during my first challenge earlier this year, story touched me incredibly deeply.

“Hearing what she and her family went through stayed with me, and inspires me to continue my fundraising for the UKST. I wanted to do something meaningful in her memory, and hope that by sharing her story alongside my own we can help more people recognise the symptoms and intimately save lives.

“The 24-hour walk was every bit as tough as I expected, but also incredibly rewarding. Physically there were definitely moments where I questioned what on earth I was doing, especially in the early hours when my legs and feet were screaming at me! But knowing why I was doing it kept me going.

“When I finished, I felt exhausted, emotional and incredibly proud. After everything I’ve been through since sepsis, being able to push myself like this again feels really special.

“I know how lucky I am to be here, to be able to challenge myself, and to use that journey to raise awareness of sepsis and hopefully make a difference to others affected by it. I am very sore overall, and have some terrible blisters but seeing that we raised almost £1,000 from this challenge, it has made it all worth it.”

Dr Ron Daniels BEM, founder and chief medical officer of the UK Sepsis Trust, added: “We are incredibly moved by Skye's dedication - her commitment to raising awareness of sepsis, two years on from an illness that could have cost her life, is truly inspiring.

“Taking on a 24-hour non-stop walk timed to World Sepsis Day is a brilliant way to mark how far she's come, and we're delighted to see her recognised with a JustGiving Award nomination too.

“Skye's support will allow us to continue our vital work, helping our health service save lives and improve outcomes for the thousands of people affected by this condition every year.”