Cambridgeshire man dies days after being diagnosed with ‘incredibly rare condition’

Brendon West was just 26 when he died less than a week after being diagnosed with a rare condition

A 26-year-old man died after being diagnosed with an “incredibly rare condition”, an inquest has heard. Brendon West died on July 25, 2025, less than a week after being diagnosed with a rare condition called thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP).

A pre-inquest review hearing was held on Tuesday, June 23, at Vantage House in Huntingdon by senior coroner David Heming. Brendon’s mum, Belinda West said that Addenbrooke’s Hospital were “exceptionally good”.

The pre-inquest heard Belinda claim that she felt that if Brendon was transferred to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, rather than another hospital, “we wouldn’t be here [at an inquest] today”.

The pre-inquest heard that Brendon was treated for a condition called immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) before a later diagnosis of TTP. During the hearing, Belinda said that TTP was ruled out at one point but asked “how can you rule out a condition if you don’t test for it?”

She believes that by medical professionals treating him for ITP, it “excavated his TTP”. Mr Heming said that the case is a “complex area” and described Brendon’s diagnosis as an “incredibly rare condition”.

It was agreed by the coroner and all interested persons that a jury was not necessary. Brendon’s family, the North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, and Cambridge University Hospital Trust were identified as interested persons.

A haematology expert will be commissioned by the coroner’s court for a report which Mr Heming said could take “months upon months upon months”. He added that there “maybe some national learning here”.

A future pre-inquest hearing date is due to be set. Following that hearing, a final inquest date will be decided.