Jason Watkins lay flowers at a bench in memory of his beloved late daughter Maude on the 10th anniversary of her death on Friday.
The actor, 54, and his wife Clara Francis lost Maude, aged two, to sepsis on New Year’s Day in 2011.
To mark the anniversary of her death, Jason visited her bench and took to Twitter to share the image of the bouquet of flowers and a yellow teddy bear he had brought in her memory.
Always remembered: Jason Watkins lay flowers at a bench in memory of his beloved late daughter Maude on the 10th anniversary of her death on Friday
The bench, which was surrounded by woodland, was engraved with the words: ‘Our Maude, always with us’.
The Crown star thanked fans for their kind messages as he wrote: ‘Thank you for all your amazing support yesterday, on the Anniversary of the loss of our daughter #Maude
‘Clara and I and our family are again overwhelmed by your compassion Thank you those who bravely shared their own loss with me.Please bare with me as I try and reply to all.’
His girl: Jason took to Twitter to share the image of the bouquet of flowers and a yellow teddy bear on the bench in Maude’s memory (pictured in 2019)
Tragic: The actor, 54, and his wife Clara Francis lost Maude, aged two, to sepsis on New Year’s Day in 2011
Touching: The bench, which was surrounded by woodland, was engraved with the words: ‘Our Maude, always with us’
Moved: The Crown star thanked fans for their kind messages as he wrote: ‘ Thank you for all your amazing support yesterday, on the Anniversary of the loss of our daughter #Maude’
Thoughful: One follower commented: ‘I have no words, Jason. Sending deepest condolences, and warmest wishes to you and your family. I cannot imagine what you are all going though’
One follower commented: ‘I have no words, Jason. Sending deepest condolences, and warmest wishes to you and your family. I cannot imagine what you are all going though. xx’.
Another fan of the Line Of Duty star added: ‘Jason my daughter had sepsis in February 2018, and thanks to the awareness raised by yourself and others who share their heartbreaking stories, my little girl is thankfully still with us. Your strength is amazing to me, and your campaigning truly saves lives. Thank you.’
A different fan added: ‘You have done so much to raise sepsis awareness in Maude’s name. It won’t bring her back but I hope it brings you some small comfort.’
So sad: In 2010 a persistent cough prompted two consecutive visits to a hospital A&E, where Maude was initially diagnosed with croup but two week later died from sepsis
In June, Jason recalled having to retell the harrowing story of Maude’s death ‘over and over’ when applying for income support from social services.
He told how, as jobbing actors, he and his wife applied for benefits, and were forced to explain what happened to their child repeatedly.
Jason said that is an aspect of the benefits system that he would like to see improve, adding that they also tried to get mental counselling but couldn’t because the facility had closed down.
Speaking to presenter Kylie Pentelow in the Britain Get Talking podcast, he said: ‘We tried to get some kind of financial support at the time. Things financially have been a lot more comfortable since then.
Talented: The actor, who played Harold Wilson in The Crown (pictured), was thanked for saving lives by fans due to him raising awareness about the symptoms of sepsis
‘But at the time I was a job actor and had had some success but I remember one time having to apply to social services just to get a little bit of income support.
‘All the way through that process Clara and I both had to retell our story over and over again. That’s one thing I’d really like to improve.
‘We also tried to get mental counselling. That particular facility closed down actually around that time and they couldn’t offer a service.’
In 2010 a persistent cough and consequent respiratory problems prompted two consecutive visits to a hospital A&E, where Maude was initially diagnosed with croup, a type of respiratory infection.
But within two weeks of developing her first symptoms she was dead. She had in fact fallen victim to sepsis, an insidious illness in which the immune system reacts violently to infection, attacks its own tissue and eventually leads to organ failure.
Reflecting on his ongoing grief in the aftermath of Maude’s death, Jason said: ‘There are days when you just don’t want to have to think about it too much. Then of course there are days when there is nothing you can do about it but it just consumes you.
‘It’ll just hit you like a train. It could be anything. It’s cliched but you can hear or a song or see a child’s face and it all comes back.
‘But again once one has cried a bit, you feel that you have touched the thing that is most painful to you and you are able to cope better.’
Jason and Clara – who already had an older daughter Bessie, 13 – decided to try for another child after Maude’s death.
‘Life was not going to rob us of our happiness. And Gilbert has brought us so much happiness,’ Jason told The Sunday Times Magazine last year.
Their son, now eight, is obsessed with his iPad and Nintendo and Jason went on to explain he has to limit time on the devices to 20 minutes a day – which caused a lot of temper tantrums.
Family: Jason and Clara – who already had an older daughter Bessie, 13 – decided to try for another child after Maude’s death and had son Gilbert now eight (pictured 2019)
What are the key symptoms of sepsis? The ‘silent killer’ that can cause death in minutes
Sepsis, known as the ‘silent killer’, strikes when an infection such as blood poisoning sparks a violent immune response in which the body attacks its own organs.
It is a potentially life-threatening condition, triggered by an infection or injury. Around 245,000 people develop sepsis in the UK each year and 52,000 die, according to the UK Sepsis Trust.
Instead of attacking the invading bug, the body turns on itself, shutting down vital organs.
If caught early enough, it’s easily treated with intravenous antibiotics and fluids, but these must be given as soon as sepsis is suspected – it strikes with frightening speed and, for every hour of delay, a patient’s chance of dying increases 8 per cent.
Sepsis is a leading cause of avoidable death killing 44,000 people each year
The early symptoms of sepsis can be easily confused with more mild conditions, meaning it can be difficult to diagnose.
A high temperature (fever), chills and shivering, a fast heartbeat and rapid breathing are also indicators.
A patient can rapidly deteriorate if sepsis is missed early on, so quick diagnosis and treatment is vital – yet this rarely happens.
In the early stages, sepsis can be mistaken for a chest infection, flu or upset stomach.
It is most common and dangerous in older adults, pregnant women, children younger than one, people with chronic conditions or those who have weakened immune systems.
The six signs of something potentially deadly can be identified by the acronym ‘SEPSIS’:
- Slurred speech or confusion
- Extreme shivering or muscle pain
- Passing no urine in a day
- Severe breathlessness
- Skin that’s mottled or discoloured
Anyone who develops any of these symptoms should seek medical help urgently — and ask doctors: ‘Could this be sepsis?’