Day 1: Opening Remarks & The 2024 Erin Kay Flatley Spirit Award Winners

On April 30, 2002, Carl Flatley’s life changed. It was the day his daughter, Erin, died from septic shock, something Carl Flatley, DDS, MSD, a retired endodontist, had never heard of. After Erin’s death, Dr. Flatley learned everything he could about sepsis, and was astounded by what he – and millions of other Americans – didn’t know about the condition. He was shocked to learn that, at the time, sepsis killed well over 200,000 people in the U.S. every year and even survivors were often left with serious after-effects. In 2004, Dr. Flatley founded the American Sepsis Alliance, which became Sepsis Alliance in 2007. It became his mission to make sepsis as well-known as cancer, diabetes, and other illnesses. His catchphrase became “So More Survive,” encapsulating his commitment to seeing fewer lives and limbs lost to sepsis.  This unending devotion to Erin’s memory has had a significant impact on many people.

Jackie taught English with Montgomery County Public Schools for 9 years, and then dove into freelance writing in 2001. She wrote extensively for publications including The Washington Post, Woman's Day, Costco Connection, and other major outlets. Her writing career came to a screeching halt in 2012 when Crohn's Disease, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (P.O.T.S.), and Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos hEDS, got the best of her and she became fully disabled. Osteoporosis eventually got a grip as well. A colon perforation and septic shock almost took her life on May 22, 2021, and she was flown to Baltimore for emergency surgery that saved her life. She’s made dramatic improvements during her lengthy and ongoing recovery. She continues to grapple with disabilities but is feeling better than she has in years. She contacted a few former editors, and they welcomed her pitches. Her first national comeback article appeared in Costco Connection and more soon followed in The Washington Post, Reader’s Digest, and AARP. She is making the most of her second chance at life and getting back into serious journalism. What she had thought was her ending, was really another beginning.

Julia Fraser is a dynamic leader and advocate, currently serving as Mrs. Texas American 2024. A survivor of sepsis, Julia has channeled her experience into a powerful platform, championing sepsis awareness and prevention, while also passing city and state-wide proclamations. As an entrepreneur in the tech startup industry, she combines her passion for innovation with a dedication to making a difference in her community. Julia is also a loving wife to professional hockey player Cole Fraser, and together, they share their lives with their 2 dogs. Her journey reflects resilience, ambition, and a commitment to positively impacting those around her.