The famous jazz singer Ingrid Sertso survived MRSA-Infection. Her story shows us, that the possibility to get infected in hospitals is extremely high. On September 28 there will be a concert in New York to celebrate her comeback and to be able to cover a part of the expenses that were arising in connection with her rehabilitation.
„An amazing event is brewing“ says Karl Berger, husband and musical partner of he famous vocalist and poet Ingrid Sertso (71). Together with his wife and the jazz musician Peter Apfelbaum he organised a concert: „We will celebrate her recovery and raise money to cover her co-pays on the doctors’ bill, which are staggering”, says Berger.
Sertso’s unlucky story with MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) began with a broken arm on December 5 last year. Although the injury was not serious, she spent a night in the hospital and was fine for about a week. Then, she got tired, couldn’t eat, and every day her health condition got worse. Then Sertso went into delirium. The infection spread to the liver and kidneys, she contracted pneumonia and needed a ventilator to breathe. Until mid-March she was in hospital. When she was improving the doctors said It looks beautiful — your blood is clean. Get out of here before you get another infection.
Statements like this are shocking and recall the situation in the hospitals. Insufficient hand hygiene of the medical staff prove fatal not only to Ingrid Sertso, but to thousands of people each year: “Every year, Hand Associated Infections affect hundreds of millions of patients around the globe. People die or are considerably affected by diseases such as MRSA and other severe infections acquired during patient care, including those that are resistant to antibiotics”, says Prof. Didier Pittet from the WHO Collaborating Centre on Patient Safety. By cleaning their hands, health-care workers could help prevent such diseases and contribute reducing the global burden.
Who wants to support the concert “Celbrating Life” for Ingrid Sertso on September 28 in New York please click here to get in contact with Karl Berger.
