Jason Watkins pays heartbreaking tribute to late daughter Maude on her 18th birthday and says 'we will never stop loving you'

Jason Watkins has paid tribute to his beloved late daughter Maude, on what would have been her 18th birthday. The actor, 63, and wife Clara Francis lost their daughter in 2011 when she was just two years old.Maude developed a chest infection, which was treated by her doctor with medication around the new year. After her condition did not improve, Jason and Clara took her to A&E twice, where they were told she had a bad cold and croup before being discharged.She was discovered in her bed the morning after being sent home from hospital for a second time when the couple's eldest daughter Bessie told them she couldn't wake her sister. It was only discovered later that she had developed sepsis, a life-threatening reaction to an infection that happens when the immune system overreacts and starts to damage the body's own tissues and organs.Posting a photo of Maude on Instagram on Wednesday, Jason shared a poignant message to mark his daughter's milestone birthday.'Maude would have been 18 today. This is the most grown up photo I can find of our beautiful girl, striding across the lawn. Today, she would have been about to jump into the world.' Jason Watkins has paid tribute to his beloved late daughter Maude, on what would have been her 18th birthday The actor, 63, and wife Clara Francis sadly lost their daughter in 2011 when she was just two years old after she developed sespis after a respiratory infection 'Who knows what she will have done with her precious life. How would she have strode through it?' Jason continued.'She would have met people, and loved them, and been loved. She could have made her own world - and changed the world too.''Made her own ripple, large or delicate, that would have touched and rocked so many; Every new day, she would have nudged another’s in to joy - as she did with us, when she was here.''Now today, as an adult, what waves she would have made..what love she will have given. The love we would have given in return, has never stopped.'Jason ended his post by telling his daughter: 'We will never stop loving you. Never stop imagining you with us Maude. You are loved, my sweet, sweet girl..xx'The post was met with an outpouring of love from Jason's fans and friends. Gavin & Stacey star Joanna Page commented: 'Thinking of you all and sending so much love. And thank you for raising so much awareness of sepsis.' Poldark actress Beatie Edney had a personal thank you for Maude, Jason and Clara, explaining that 'raising awareness of Sepsis meant that I was rushed into hospital because the ambulance crew knew what to look for. Her legacy and love lives on. She is amazing.'The UK Sepsis Trust who Jason is an ambassador for wrote on his post 'Beautiful Maude. Everyone at UKST sends you and your family love.' Posting a photo of Maude on Instagram on Wednesday, Jason shared a poignant message to mark his daughter's milestone birthday Jason found Maude, who had been suffering from a chest infection, dead in bed on New Year's Day. Despite two hospital visits, her flu symptoms masked the sepsis In the years since Maude's death the actor and his wife have become vocal advocates for improvements in sepsis diagnosis. In 2023, the couple released the BBC documentary Jason & Clara: In Memory of Maudie. They allowed cameras to document their journey as they prepared to move out of the flat where their daughter was born, and later died.Scenes, which were interspersed with photos and home videos of Maude, showed them attending therapy for the first time together, with Clara revealing she could still feel the weight of her daughter from the car journey to hospital.Jason said it finally felt like the right time to share Maude's story but admitted that he still finds her death 'difficult to talk about' but hoped filming the documentary could help others.He added: 'Obviously it was missed. There's a bit of anger there obviously… I know that irrationally I'm doing this because if I crack it and no more children die, which is ridiculous because they will sadly and that I fully understand the condition that is sepsis, that Maude will come back walk into the room.'I've got it I've cracked it this is what we need to do and she'll come back into the room… but that's irrational and that will never stop.'The UK Sepsis Trust says sepsis causes five deaths every hour in the UK. They run a Trust Your Instincts campaign, advising 'Trust your instincts. Act quickly. Just Ask: 'Could it be Sepsis?'The trust lists the signs to look out for in children: 'Are breathing very fast; Have a ‘fit’ or convulsion; Look mottled, bluish, or pale — on brown and black skin, colour changes may show on the inside of the forearms or palms'.'Have a rash that does not fade when you press it; Are very lethargic or difficult to wake; Feel abnormally cold to touch.'