Key Points
- Brendon West, 26, died on July 25, 2025, less than a week after being diagnosed with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, or TTP.
- His mother, Belinda West, told a pre-inquest review hearing on Tuesday, June 23, that she believed he might not have died if he had been diagnosed even a day earlier.
- The hearing heard that Brendon had first been treated for immune thrombocytopenic purpura, or ITP, before a later diagnosis of TTP.
- Belinda said TTP had been ruled out at one point and asked how a condition could be ruled out without being tested for.
- Senior Coroner David Heming said the case was a “complex area” and described Brendon’s diagnosis as an “incredibly rare condition”.
- It was agreed that a jury was not necessary.
- Brendon’s family, North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust and Cambridge University Hospital Trust were named as interested persons.
- A further pre-inquest hearing will be set before a final inquest date is decided.
Cambridge (Cambridge Tribune) June 24, 2026 – Brendon West’s mother has said she believes her son might still be alive if his rare condition had been diagnosed even a day earlier. Belinda West made the comments during a pre-inquest review hearing on Tuesday, June 23, after her 26-year-old son died on July 25, 2025, less than a week after being diagnosed with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, known as TTP.
The hearing heard that Brendon was initially treated for immune thrombocytopenic purpura, or ITP, before doctors later identified TTP. Belinda told the hearing that TTP had been ruled out at one stage and questioned how that could happen if the condition was not tested for. Her remarks framed the central concern of the case: whether the diagnosis came too late for treatment to make a difference.
As reported in the hearing, senior coroner David Heming described Brendon’s diagnosis as an “incredibly rare condition” and said the matter was a “complex area”. The coroner and all interested persons agreed that a jury was not required. The case remains at the pre-inquest review stage, meaning the formal inquest has not yet taken place.
What did Brendon’s mum say in tribute?
Belinda West described her son as a “very kind, considerate and loving man” who was an “avid” Formula One fan and also loved gaming. She said he was a major part of her life and described him as trusting, saying he placed his faith in medical professionals and never questioned what he was told. Her tribute presented him as a young man whose life was closely bound up with family and everyday interests.
She also said Brendon had once saved her life by helping her during a medical emergency before emergency services arrived. That detail added to the family’s portrayal of him as someone who acted selflessly and was deeply valued at home. Belinda said he did not get the chance to marry or have children, which underlined the loss felt by the family.
Brendon’s aunt, Susan Selkirk, also spoke during the hearing. She said mistakes happen, but added that lessons still need to be learned and change is necessary. Her comments suggested the family wants the case to lead to wider reflection rather than simply a legal outcome.
How did the hospital care issue emerge?
The hearing heard that Brendon had been treated for ITP before the later diagnosis of TTP. That sequence is important because both conditions involve low platelets, but they are not the same, and the family’s concern centres on whether the correct condition was identified quickly enough. Belinda’s question about ruling out TTP without testing pointed to the family’s worry about the diagnostic process.
The report states that the North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust and Cambridge University Hospital Trust were identified as interested persons, alongside the family. That means the institutions involved in Brendon’s care are part of the formal inquest process. The review hearing itself did not reach a final conclusion, and a further date will be set before the inquest timetable is fixed.
The family fundraising page added further personal detail about Brendon, describing him as “the glue” that held the family together after several losses. It said he was diagnosed with TTP on July 23 and died within a week. That tribute reinforced the family’s view that the illness moved quickly and left little time for intervention.
What happens next in the inquest?
The hearing on June 23 was only a pre-inquest review, so the full inquest has not yet been held. A future pre-inquest date is expected to be fixed first, and after that the final inquest date will be decided. For now, the process remains in its preparatory stage.
The coroner’s decision that a jury is not necessary means the case will proceed without one. That does not end the inquiry into what happened, but it does shape how the inquest will be heard. The next stage will likely focus on how Brendon was assessed, what tests were carried out, and whether the correct diagnosis was reached soon enough.
Background
TTP is described in the report as an incredibly rare condition, which is one reason the case has drawn attention. The family’s concern is not only about Brendon’s death, but also about whether earlier recognition might have changed the outcome. The hearing also showed how quickly a medical case can move from treatment for one blood condition to a later diagnosis of another.
Pre-inquest hearings are used to organise the legal process before a full inquest begins. They help identify interested persons, clarify the issues and decide how the case will be examined. In Brendon’s case, the hearing made clear that the family wants answers about diagnosis, treatment and whether opportunities were missed.
Prediction
For Brendon’s family, the next stage of the process may bring more detail about how his care was handled, but it is unlikely to reduce the emotional weight of the loss. For hospitals and clinicians, the case may prompt closer attention to how rare blood conditions are considered when symptoms overlap. For the wider public, it may increase awareness that rare illnesses can be difficult to identify quickly, especially when they resemble other conditions.
The case may also matter to people facing similar diagnoses, because it highlights the importance of timely testing and reassessment when treatment is not working as expected. If the final inquest identifies any lessons, those findings could influence how future cases are handled. For now, the family’s main message is that an earlier diagnosis might have changed the result.
