A new mother from Essex has spoken out about her battle with necrotising fasciitis, a rare flesh-eating disease that nearly killed her just days after giving birth.
Charleigh Chatterton, 27, from Harwich, gave birth to her daughter Alessia at Colchester Hospital on 22 April without complications. However, six days later, she developed a rash on her stomach and severe flu-like symptoms, prompting her fiancé Liam Boyne to call midwives who advised her to return to hospital.
Doctors initially struggled to diagnose the condition, but after a scan revealed gas pockets under her tissue, they identified necrotising fasciitis. She underwent emergency surgery to remove dead tissue and was sedated for three days. She woke up with two large wounds on her stomach, which were left open for six days before a vacuum pump was fitted.
Necrotising fasciitis affects tissue beneath the skin and can progress rapidly, leading to sepsis or organ failure. The UK sees around 500 cases annually. Miss Chatterton had no obvious entry point for the bacteria, such as a cut or insect bite, making her case unusual.
After two weeks in hospital, she was discharged and reunited with her baby. She now has significant scars and nerve damage but says she feels lucky to be alive. “I just want to get the message out because most people have never heard of it, and early diagnosis can be the difference between life and death,” she said.
Martin Mansfield, deputy chief medical officer at East Suffolk and North Essex Foundation Trust, praised staff for their quick action, noting that the infection is life-threatening if not caught early.
