Sean Halsall said he owes his life to NHS staff after being diagnosed with a flesh-eating disease
Sean Halsall(Image: Handout)
A man has offered his heartfelt thanks to NHS staff, after surviving a life-threatening, flesh-eating disease. Sean Halsall, 40, said he visited a walk-in centre in Southport last week after a boil-like sore grew unexpectedly in size, but was soon rushed to hospital.
Sean said he popped into the walk-in to get antibiotics, but just a few hours later, he was fighting for his life. He posted an update on his condition via Facebook and expressed his gratitude to the NHS: “I’ve seen it help, support and make working people’s lives worth living all my life.
“I went to a walk in centre thinking I needed some antibiotics for what I thought was a three day old infection. I was told to go to A&E as they couldn’t help. After the usual wait there I saw the absolute ruthless efficiency our health service can react to things when needed.
“I apparently had something called necrotising fasciitis within a couple of hours I was in surgery. At every stage the care, humanity and empathy from all the staff in the hospital was beyond compare.”
According to guidance issued on the NHS website, necrotizing fasciitis, also known as the “flesh-eating disease”, is a rare and life-threatening infection which can develop if a wound gets infected. The Liverpool ECHO understands the condition requires immediate hospital care with antibiotics and aggressive surgery to remove dead tissue.
Early symptoms include disproportionate pain, swelling, redness, fever, and flu-like illness, progressing to skin discolouration, blisters, and systemic shock. According expert medical opinion, prompt diagnosis and treatment are crucial for survival, with mortality rates significant if delayed.
Sean spent 16 years driving buses in Southport before he was first elected to Sefton Council in Kew Ward in 2019, and he is keen to express his admiration and gratitude to public services and NHS staff in particular.
Sean said he also wanted to raise awareness of necrotizing fasciitis and what to look out for: “I have no idea how I got it. It started like a boil about 5p in size, four days later it was the size of a house brick.
“It’s one of those that you think only exists in Grey’s Anatomy.”
Sean has already undergone a second surgery which was successful and is now preparing himself for a long recovery. In a follow-up to his family, friends and constituents, he posted: “I’m here, alive, and being cared for with a level of professionalism, compassion and humanity that still leaves me in awe.
“I’ve been told very plainly that without the speed, skill and coordination of the NHS and its staff, I would very likely not be here to write this. Necrotising fasciitis is not something you “wait and see” with – and within hours of walking into A&E, a publicly funded health service moved with absolute precision to save my life.
“At every step – surgeons, nurses, healthcare assistants, porters, cleaners – people working flat out under immense pressure still found time for reassurance, dignity and care. These are staff carrying mammoth workloads, often exhausted, often short-staffed, yet still treating patients as human beings, not numbers or invoices.
“This is what free, universal healthcare means to working-class communities. It means you don’t hesitate because of cost. It means you don’t die because you couldn’t afford to get checked. It means when something catastrophic happens, the response is based on need – not profit, not insurance status, not postcode.”
He added: “I owe my life to this institution and the people who make it work despite everything stacked against them. If anything is worth fighting for, defending, and rebuilding properly, it’s the NHS.”
Cllr Alan Gibbons, a colleague of Sean’s from the Your Party group, set up a GoFundMe page to help support him during his recovery, writing: “Sean Halsall has been a vital part of our community, helping to build a positive message during tough times. He’s now facing a serious illness, and any support would mean a lot.
“Please consider donating or sharing the link to help him and his family through this challenging period. Thank you!”
At the time of writing, the fundraiser has accumulated more than £2,500 of its original £4,000 target. To find out more details please visit the page HERE.