Montréal quadruple amputee urges faster sepsis screening after rare diagnosis
Cameilla Ramdass recovered from sepsis caused by a rare bacterium, but lost all four limbs. She's now advocating for earlier detection—Canada has no national sepsis action plan.
Sources · local media reports
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Cameilla Ramdass woke from an induced coma in January to find she had lost all four limbs. What began as severe back pain following the flu had escalated into sepsis, a life-threatening immune response that her body couldn't control.
Now recovering and speaking publicly about her diagnosis, Ramdass is advocating for faster screening protocols. "If you feel like you're going to die, feel horrid, ask the question: could it be sepsis?" said Dr. Alison Fox-Robichaud, scientific director of Sepsis Canada and professor of medicine at McMaster University. Early screening can trigger additional blood work that catches the infection before it progresses.
Sepsis is the fourth leading cause of death in Canada, yet Canada is the only G7 country without a national sepsis action plan, Fox-Robichaud said. One in five people who develop sepsis do not survive.
Ramdass received vasopressors—lifesaving medication that constricted blood flow in her limbs, leading to the quadruple amputation. Her 23-year-old daughter Seraiyah documented the ordeal in a Medium post and started a GoFundMe to help cover medical costs.
Now doing five hours of rehabilitation daily, Ramdass is relearning how to write, feed herself, and was fitted with leg prostheses this week. She remains focused on recovery. "I will get my legs. I will be able to walk," she said. "I will be able to do makeup again and cook again and bake again."
What specific hospital screening protocols does Ramdass want implemented to catch sepsis earlier?
How many cases of sepsis go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed in Quebec annually?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
What caused Cameilla Ramdass to lose her limbs?
Cameilla Ramdass developed sepsis following the flu, which triggered a life-threatening immune response. She received vasopressors—medication that constricted blood flow in her limbs to save her life—resulting in quadruple amputation.
Is Canada the only G7 country without a national sepsis action plan?
Yes. Canada is the only G7 country without a national sepsis action plan, despite sepsis being the fourth leading cause of death in Canada.
What is the survival rate for sepsis in Canada?
One in five people who develop sepsis in Canada do not survive.
