A YOUNG woman from Cornwall who survived sepsis and had to learn to walk again is tackling the entire South West Coast Path to raise funds and awareness.

Skye Owen, 24, is planning to walk the 630 miles from Minehead in Somerset to Poole in Dorset to aid the UK Sepsis Trust.

Skye, who is from St Austell and works as a teaching assistant in a special educational needs (SEN) school, hopes others will join her for sections of the walk, particularly fellow sepsis survivors who may wish to share their experiences. She will also be supported by family and friends.

Throughout the challenge, Skye will document her journey on social media, sharing photos, videos, walking statistics and stories from people affected by sepsis.

Skye was hospitalised for four weeks in September 2024 after developing sepsis caused by an infection.

Her first symptom was severe back and hip pain that left her unable to move, prompting an ambulance call. Further tests revealed infection in her hip and sacroiliac joints, and dangerously high infection levels led to a diagnosis of sepsis. After being treated in hospital, Skye continued her recovery at home with a specialist care team administering intravenous antibiotics.

Because Skye had to learn how to walk again that, in part, has inspired her to take on the South West Coast Path challenge.

She said: “My recovery has been long and challenging, and learning to walk again made me realise just how precious everyday things like walking, hiking and being outdoors really are.

“Surviving sepsis gave me a second chance at life, and this challenge is my way of making that second chance count. If sharing my story and pushing through every mile helps raise awareness and saves even one life through the work of the UK Sepsis Trust, then every step will have been worth it.”