Trust to Research Flesh-Eating Bug
TRUST TO RESEARCH FLESH-EATING BUG
By Tom Bennett
Thursday 22nd June 2006
The family of a much-loved teacher who died from a rare flesh-eating bug hopes to raise funds for research into the deadly disease.
They hope money raised from the Katherine Jacobs Trust will help find a cure for the condition.
Mrs Jacobs died within days of contracting the condition following an operation at Glenfield Hospital in Leicester.
Her family have spoken publicly for the first time since her death to raise awareness of the disease.
Husband Alan said: “It is rare, but people are dying from it and if it is caught early enough using a simple test people can be saved with antibiotics.
“The worst thing is you can catch it anywhere, through even a small cut in the skin.”
They hope the KJ Trust will fund medical research into the condition, known as necrotizing fasciitis, and provide educational activities for Leicestershire schools in subjects Mrs Jacobs loved.
Mrs Jacobs, 52, of Quorn, had gone into hospital for a cancer operation when she became ill.
It was not known where she had contracted the virulent bacteria, which destroys soft tissue under the skin.
Mr Jacobs, 55, said: “She went in and had a successful operation, and three days later she was dead.
“The disease is rare so none of the doctors knew what it was. She had her operation on Thursday and it wasn’t diagnosed until Saturday morning.
“By that night she was dead. I wasn’t allowed to see her. They call it the flesh-eating bug for a reason.”
Mrs Jacobs’ death in May 2005 shocked colleagues and friends at Holywell Primary School, in Berkeley Road, Loughborough, where she had taught for more than 12 years.
Deputy head teacher Mia Ing said the close-knit community had been devastated by the news.
She said: “Kathy died completely out of the blue. It was so quick. We got the call that she had come round from the cancer operation and that everything was fine.
“Then shortly afterwards, the phone rang again and we were told she was no longer with us. It was horrible.
“She was fantastic lady, a really active member of staff and is still really missed. She gave a huge amount to the school.”
Work began on a school memorial garden at the weekend.
Youngsters also helped raise cash for the trust by tackling a climbing wall on Friday.
The youngsters climbed more than 9,000 metres - the height of Mount Everest — to raise cash.
A spokeswoman for the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust said: “Regrettably necrotizing fasciitis is an extremely rare, aggressive bacterial infection.
“It is very difficult to diagnose because often there are no visible signs of the infection, and therefore sometimes the full extent of the infection is not known until it is too late.”
To donate to the trust, visit: