A 25-year-old man who died from a seizure has been described by his family as a kind and thoughtful young man who loved sport. Courtney Frederick, who died in Bradford in December 2018, had been suffering from epileptic seizures since the age of 21
As Yorkshire Live reports, both Courtney and his family feared his condition was getting worse in the months before his tragic death. An inquest at Bradford Coroner's Court heard that Courtney was planning a future with his girlfriend Lexi Carden at the time of his death.
Courtney, who was born in Huddersfield, had dreams of helping disabled and disadvantaged children get into sport. He had four sisters and one brother as well as a step-brother and step-sister.
At a previous hearing, Courtney's family raised serious concerns about the treatment he received in the lead-up to his death. He had been taking medication for his epilepsy but had suffered from side effects including blurred vision and pains in his head. He had been hospitalised on several occasions and had attended A&E numerous times.
However, assistant coroner Angela Brocklehurst concluded that the care provided to Courtney by medical professionals had not been lacking. "I do not find any lack of care provided to Courtney by medical professionals," she stated.
Toxicological tests identified a "significant use' of cannabis before his death along with a 'less than optimal" use of medication to control his epilepsy, the coroner said. A pathologist found cannabis in his system but dismissed it as "not relevant", the inquest was told on Thursday.
Ms Brocklehurst said the effects of cannabis use on epileptic people were disputed within the medical community. One school of thought contended that the drug suppressed seizures while others suggested cannabis could provoke them.
She said the evidence suggested Courtney understood the link between the use of cannabis and the frequency of his seizures. He had told his GP that his condition had improved by refraining from cannabis and alcohol. "It is clear from the evidence that Courtney understood how best to manage his conditions," the coroner added.
The coroner concluded Courtney's sudden death was caused by epilepsy. She paid tribute to him, telling family members present in court: "Always remember Courtney as the kind and loving man he was, a man with aspirations to help people less fortunate than himself, a man who felt he had a future despite the serious illness that he had." She added: "There will also be questions which remain."
Following the inquest, Courtney's sister Tara thanked the coroner for her hard work to "get to the bottom" of what had happened. However, she said her brother had been unfairly portrayed as a cannabis user when there was so much more about him.
She claimed there was 'no proof' that the first three of Courtney's seizures were cannabis-related. "It is really bad that Courtney's name is overshadowed by cannabis. He had so much going for him."
Tara claimed that had Courtney not admitted to smoking cannabis "his treatment would have been completely different". She said the family hadn't been legally represented at the inquest which had made it difficult for them.
