How a Near-Death Experience Influenced a Medtech CEO's Career Path

Welcome to the MD+DI Book Club, a monthly feature where we recommend a book for medtech professionals.

Title and Author: Courage: Powerful Lessons in Leadership, Strength, and the Will to Succeed, by John Sperzel, CEO of T2 Biosystems

Rating: Currently rated 5 stars on Amazon, based on three ratings. Not yet rated on Goodreads.

Recommended because: Part memoir, part call to action, "Courage" tells the story of how a near-death experience, which involved sepsis after receiving a heart transplant, inspired Sperzel to devote his professional life to improving diagnostics for bloodstream infections and sepsis at a mission-driven company.

“My hope is that sharing my personal experience will help to raise awareness about sepsis and shed light on why we must change the standard of care for patients at risk of sepsis. Current treatment protocols rely on blood culture, which can take days, and the use of broad spectrum antibiotics, which studies show is only optimal in 30%-60% of cases,” said Sperzel. “The use of culture-independent rapid diagnostic tests to detect sepsis-causing pathogens is essential, as each hour of delayed targeted treatment can increase mortality by up to 8%.”

Note: All proceeds from the book sales will be donated to Sepsis Alliance and Donate Life America