Turf Moor Ladies' Charity Night: UK Sepsis Trust fundraiser for beloved Burnley woman

In 2017, Elisa Hindle was at a family wedding in Scotland when she fell ill. Putting her illness down to how much she had had to drink, she travelled home and went to bed, only for her daughter Georgia to find her the next morning unable to communicate or move.

Rushed to Royal Blackburn Hospital, Elisa was diagnosed with sepsis and - due to doctors being unsure as to how she had contracted it - was given a range of antibiotics and blood cultures. In an out of ICU, it was found she had a heart issue as well, and Elisa was taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital for urgent surgery where it was found that three of her heart valves were not functioning.

While surgery on her heart was successful, the sepsis spread. Elisa was put into an induced coma and administered kidney dialysis.

"We spent five days, 24 hours a day with Elisa, sleeping in a waiting room, praying she would pull through," said Sharon Grennan, Elisa's sister. "Unfortunately, the sepsis started attacking all her other organs, which led to multi-organ failure and she passed away on 21st May 2017. We have never had closure as we never found out why she had contracted sepsis, so is very hard to come to terms with.

"Elisa was full of life, always a smile on her face, and was loved by everyone who knew her," added Sharon. "It has been a very difficult two years and only feels like yesterday since we lost her. We had never heard of sepsis until tragically losing Elisa and feel that there is not enough awareness, [so] decided to hold this Ladies' Charity Night to raise money for the charity.

"She has left a massive hole in so many peoples lives and it shows through all the donations we have had for the charity night," said Sharon of the event, which takes place this Saturday, September 14th. Tickets for the charity evening - which will include raffles, auctions, a tombola, a photo booth kindly donated by Crown Oil, and a pie and pea supper - sold out in a month.

Jason Tansey will be compare at the event, while comedian Harriet Dyer and vocalists Mick Young and Rita Ski will be performing. "This would not all have been possible without the help of businesses from Rossendale and Burnley, friends, family and even people who have heard about the night who we don't know, by donating money, gifts and also there time," said Sharon.

"We're overwhelmed with the kindness and the support from everyone who has donated and want to thank them from the bottom of our hearts," she added. "I'm sure our sister would be so proud of us and what we have achieved.

"Sepsis has become one of the biggest killers overtaking breast cancer, and is frightening that a lot of people or unaware of the symptoms that could possibly save lives in the first few hours."