Jackie Duda

Septic shock survivor Jackie Duda is a wife, mom, former educator, nationally published journalist, and member of the Sepsis Alliance Advisory Board and the Frederick County Commission on Disabilities.

She moderates the Sepsis Connect online peer support group, “Invisible Disabilities after Sepsis,” and has written half a dozen articles on sepsis since 2023, her first appearing in the Washington Post in September 2023. Over the course of her 24-year career in journalism, Jackie’s articles have appeared in The Washington Post, The Healthy @Reader’s Digest, AARP, Costo Connection, The Lancet, and hundreds more.

Disabled since 2014 due to Crohn’s Disease, POTS, and hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Jackie is a vocal advocate for sepsis and people with disabilities. She also suffers from severe osteoporosis and is an Ambassador with the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation BHOF. She frequently travels to Capitol Hill with Sepsis Alliance and other organizations to advocate for sepsis awareness, sepsis legislation, and related issues. She is a national public speaker and host of the recently launched podcast, “The 1:20 Pod” to discuss sepsis, disability, and chronic illness.

She also launched a Substack to write a collection of essays that will become the foundation for her first book, a memoir of her medical and personal challenges. She celebrates her “Life Day” every May 22 by doing something special with her family and by advocating for sepsis on her Instagram @jackiesjourney4.