Rory Staunton

Rory Staunton (13 May 1999 – 1 April 2012) was a young boy from Queens, New York whose death from sepsis created a nationwide movement to address the issue of childhood sepsis and its treatment. Following his death, both Jim Dwyer columnist from The New York Times and Op Ed Columnist Maureen Dowd both wrote about his death and the medical errors that preceded it.^[1][2] His father and mother Ciaran Staunton and Orlaith Staunton appeared on NBC Today Show and the Doctor Oz Show discussing his death which they stated was due to hospital errors.^[3][4] An investigation by the New York State Department of Health into the death of Rory Staunton revealed that his treatment at NYU Langone Emergency Room in New York City did not meet the basic standards of care.^[5]

Death

Rory died after receiving a scrape on his arm during a basketball game. Rory was not sent to the school nurse in his school to address his wounds. His parents brought him to his pediatrician Dr. Susan Levitzy, who failed to recognize the obvious symptoms of sepsis and who sent him to NYU Langone emergency room in New York for re-hydration. At NYU Langone hospital staff missed several critical symptoms indicating he was developing sepsis, the most damaging of which was the failure to read a blood test that indicated very high white blood cell count. He was sent home where his condition worsened, he became seriously ill before returning to the hospital the next evening. By then it was too late and he died of Sepsis at NYU Langone on Sunday April 1, 2012. He is survived by his parents and sister Kathleen. He is buried next to his grandmother in Drogheda, Ireland

Legacy

Rory's parents and sister immediately embarked on a nationwide campaign to alert parents of young children to sepsis possibility when a child is injured. Their work resulted in the passage of Rory's Regulations in New York State by Governor Cuomo in January 2013. These regulations require all hospitals to adopt best practices for the early identification and treatment of sepsis. The Regulations also require special procedures for pediatric patients including communication of critical test results and the posting of a “Parents Bill of Rights.^[6] The Staunton family also established the Rory Staunton Foundation to support education and outreach efforts aimed at rapid diagnosis and treatment of sepsis, particularly in children. Several letters received by the Foundation have credited reading about Rory’s experience with saving their own children’s lives after they developed similar symptoms.

Rory was an extraordinary young man, captain of his debating team, who also led the fight to end the use of the word "retard" in his school. His campaign 'Spread the Word to End the Word" won him praise from the Special Olympics.^[7] In honor of his work Rory's mother's home town of Drogheda in Ireland held the first Annual Rory Staunton Award for filmmakers with special needs.^[8] On September 23, 2013, the Rory Staunton Field was officially declared open by Congressman Joe Crowley in Queens, beside where Rory attended the Garden School. Rory, together with his family, were instrumental in saving the park from turning into a high-rise building.^[9] At a Senate HELP Committee’s Hearing on September 24, 2013 - U.S. Efforts to Reduce Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI’s), Rory’s case was highlighted and testimony was heard from Rory’s dad. Senator Tom Harkin highlighted the criticality of the issue, stating: “…we need Rory’s Regulations in every state so that they can recognize sepsis.” On September 17, 2014 The Rory Staunton Foundation held the first ever Sepsis Forum In Washington D.C. attended by Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY),Thomas Frieden M.D. Director CDC, Patrick Conway, M.D.,CMS Chief Medical Officer, Congressman Joseph Crowley and Kevin Tracey M.D. Director, Feinstein Institute. In November 2014, the Staunton family met with U.S. Health Secretary, Sylvia Mathews Burwell and addressed the opening session of the CMS Health Conference in Baltimore, Maryland.

References and Footnotes