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| Kyran Bowes, who plays Jack Webster, with Sepsis survivor Sasha Burrell |
How did you feel when you heard about Jack's storyline? Had you heard about sepsis before?
My first words were "WOW that is a big story". I was excited and proud to be trusted with such a big important storyline. I did feel a bit nervous at first because I had never heard of Sepsis before and didn't know what it does to you. My mum and dad explained to me as much as they knew and we looked it up on the internet quite a bit.
Were you keen to meet a survivor of sepsis and talk to them about what is was like for them?
I wanted to know more about Sepsis, so I knew what to expect and how I could act out the story properly and so Kate Oates arranged for me to meet somebody who had been through the same thing. I wanted to see for myself what sepsis can do to you to give me the confidence to play the story as true to life as I possibly could.
You met a 14 year old girl called Sasha Burrell who lost both her legs due to Sepsis while researching with the Sepsis Trust. What was it like meeting Sasha?
Sasha was really nice and kind and she was really helpful. She gave me information on how she felt at the beginning when she got told she had Sepsis and how she felt after her operation and how determined she was that it wasn't going to stop her doing normal things.
What did you think listening to Sasha's story?
Sasha is amazing. You would not think she had been through such a horrible illness. She is so brave. She was so happy and smiling all the time. She was really happy to help me. I think Sasha is very inspirational. It made me so determined to play my part as best I could to get it right for all the people who have suffered like Sasha.
Did she give you any advice on how Jack might be feeling?
Sasha explained that Jack would have his ups and downs. He would be confused and devastated at losing his leg. Sasha told me that she had to focus on goals, focus on something positive. I remember her telling me that her parents had bought her a kitten after her coming out of hospital. The cat helped her lots in getting better and she even started trampolining, which she had never done before she had Sepsis. She was determined not to let it beat her and to carry on with life as normal.
She knows Jack likes his football and she said Jack should concentrate on his football goals, be determined to aim to play football again, to persevere. Sasha is incredible and so inspirational to me and to others.
Has it been a challenge for you to act out what Jack is going through?
Alot of the time my role was to sleep in a comfy hospital bed as Jack was in a coma so initially this was the easiest part but I think the main challenge for me in the story was where Jack wakes up and realises he has lost his leg. Making sure I showed the emotions and feelings of shock and upset that Jack and his dad would be going through in a real life situation.
What are your hopes for this storyline?
I hope I have done the story proud for Coronation Street and for all the people who have suffered Sepsis. It is a terrible illness and I hope that this storyline helps others and raises lots of awareness.
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Kudos to Kyran for his work on this storyline and to Sasha for telling her story. I can only imagine the heartbreak that accompanies a medical crisis of this scope. At the same time, I agree with other commenters who have asked how, given the diagnostic difficulty presented by sepsis, this helps any of us to avert falling into the same situation we see Jack, Kevin, and Sophie struggling with. I think a better angle on the storyline would be to acknowledge that we all must wrestle with the truth - medical professionals are not gods. When a doctor tells you that your child requires amputation - wtf are you supposed to do or think? A follow-up storyline, equally useful from a social issue standpoint, would be to show that the doctor was wrong and that the surgery was unnecessary. I faced a situation like that 5 years ago and rejected the doctor's opinion. Turns out, I was right:)
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