Burnley women's boss reveals near-fatal sepsis ordeal
Burnley Women manager Jackie Bachteler has revealed she nearly died from sepsis last year, and is still recovering from its long-term effects. She hopes sharing her story will raise awareness of the condition's symptoms.
Burnley Women's manager Jackie Bachteler has opened up about a frightening health scare that struck shortly after she joined the club's coaching staff in December 2025. Having relocated from San Diego, she initially put her symptoms down to jet lag and a hectic schedule, until one morning at the training ground the room began to spin and she struggled to breathe.
A club doctor quickly identified that something was seriously wrong. Her blood pressure and oxygen levels dropped rapidly, and she was rushed to hospital. Medical staff initially tried to treat her lungs and send her home, but Bachteler insisted on further tests — a blood test revealed how critical her condition had become, prompting several doctors to rush to her aid with IV fluids, antibiotics and oxygen.
Days in intensive care
Bachteler spent several days in intensive care, with staff checking her blood and organ function every 20 minutes. Her family in the United States could not travel to be with her, and her wife, in Finland, was stranded by a snowstorm, leaving Bachteler to face much of the ordeal alone. By her third day in hospital she could no longer stand, and nurses told her not to attempt to walk.
She had to relearn how to walk during her recovery and paused her coaching career before returning to Burnley in July as the club's new women's team manager. She still suffers from post-sepsis syndrome, including dizziness and extreme fatigue, a condition affecting more than half of sepsis survivors. During a recent pre-season friendly, she became severely dizzy in the heat and had to seek relief in the venue's kitchen freezer.
Bachteler credited Burnley's medical staff with saving her life and connecting her with a respiratory specialist, and praised the support of her coaching team and players throughout her recovery. She hopes that appearing at an upcoming match on World Sepsis Day will help raise public awareness of the condition's symptoms, noting she previously knew little about sepsis despite it being a leading cause of death.
