A dad from Folkestone is on the mend after sepsis left him fighting for his life in intensive care.

Adam Husk, 37, spent three weeks at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford after contracting the condition - including five days in an induced coma.

He lost 13kg and was left so weak he couldn’t walk up stairs or lift his toddler, Payton.

But he is now getting stronger and better every day thanks to the care of staff from East Kent Hospitals University Foundation Trust, and is hoping to soon return to work.

“I was aware of sepsis because of my medical history but it’s something you assume will never happen to you,” he said.

“And even when it does, you think that once you leave hospital you’ll be fine.

“But I lost 13kg in hospital and had to work on building up my strength again as well as my weight.”

Sepsis is a serious complication of an infection. Without quick treatment, it can lead to multiple organ failure and death.

It kills five people every hour in the UK.

"It was definitely worse for my wife and family than for me, as at one point she asked if I would be coming home and they couldn't guarantee it" - Adam Husk

But Mr Husk wasn’t initially admitted to hospital because of the condition, but due to stomach pains related to his Crohn’s disease - which affects the bowel.

Surgeons operated to remove a diseased part of the bowel but despite initially recovering well, his temperature suddenly went up and he began struggling to breathe.

Medical staff diagnosed sepsis and he was placed in an induced coma for five days as teams battled to save his life.

“The surgery was the easy bit - it was what came after that was so difficult,” Mr Husk added.

“I ended up with quite a few complications as well as the sepsis and had to have a breathing tube inserted into my windpipe for five days.

“It was definitely worse for my wife and family than for me, as at one point she asked if I would be coming home and they couldn’t guarantee it.”

A quarter of all sepsis survivors suffer permanent, life-changing after effects, including physical and psychological symptoms such as anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress syndrome.

As such, a specialist follow-up team from the trust hold weekly sessions for patients where they can build up their strength.

Read more: All the latest news from Folkestone