A full inquest is to take place into the death of a 20-year-old healthy young man who died of bowel disease just six weeks after his diagnosis.
Former Turton School pupil Cameron “Cam” Duxbury died on October 27, 2020, from ulcerative colitis after undergoing surgery to prolong his life. He had suffered symptoms relating to the bowel condition for several months but did not inform his loved ones.
It was only until Cameron, of Egerton, started drastically losing weight that his parents took him to A&E. They never suspected it would be the last time they would ever see him at home again.
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Devastatingly, Cameron lost his battle with ulcerative colitis and passed away with his parents by his side at Royal Bolton Hospital just six weeks after being diagnosed in September 2020. His death has raised questions between his family and the NHS Trust.
At an earlier pre-inquest review at Bolton Coroners Court, Senior Coroner, Timothy Brennand advised to the family: “In the event that you are entirely comforted and the questions you have asked are answered between the trust and yourselves, then this will be a short hearing. If that is not what you feel, then there may be a full inquest.”
At a further pre-inquest review at Bolton Coroners Court today (August 3) Mr Brennand said: "There has been a meeting and all parties are of the view that a full inquest is now inevitable."
Present in court, Cameron's visibly distressed mother Cherise, 47, expressed concerns about the duty of care her son had received in hospital. She said it was her belief he had been failed.
She said: "There was a duty of care for Cameron when he went into hospital that was not given to him. That lack of duty of care ended in him losing his life."
Mr Brennand said he will be presenting a disclosure bundle, containing hard copies of medical notes to ensure the process goes smoothly. A new hearing date was set for December 7, 8 and 9 this year.
Cameron's devastated family have vowed to carry out Cameron’s final wish of raising awareness of the disease in order to help others.
“He wanted people to know they shouldn’t be afraid to talk about their symptoms,”Cherise told the Manchester Evening News .
“We never knew anything about (the disease) before any of this happened. For a few months Cameron was having symptoms but being a young lad, he was really scared about sharing those symptoms.
“We noticed his weight loss and a few other symptoms from the disease but with Covid, getting him into a doctors seemed to take forever."
Mrs Duxbury recalled dropping her son off at hospital and not being able to go inside with him due to coronavirus restrictions.
She continued: “It was unbearable; I couldn’t go in. He’s 20-years-old but he’s still my little boy – I had to drop him off and drive away. I’m absolutely devastated. I just can’t believe he’s gone.
“It was his wish when he was in hospital to raise awareness because we didn’t realise this is a young persons’ disease. If you’re presenting symptoms go and get help."
Cameron, who was working at a pensions and financial company at the time of his death, was given medication following his diagnosis when first admitted to hospital.
But his body failed to respond to the drugs and Cameron was rushed for emergency surgery. His operation was a success, but for reasons not yet known, Cameron's condition began deteriorating rapidly.
“It was so incredibly hard; he had to go through it all on his own. We couldn’t be with him at all.
Cherise said Cameron, who loved going to the gym and playing football for his local Bromley Cross team, had accepted he would need to live with a stoma bag for the rest of his life prior to the operation.
“He was so proud, he took it all in his stride,” she continued. “It was so incredibly hard; he had to go through it all on his own. We couldn’t be with him at all.
“He embraced what his new future would look like. But the operation made him weaker and his body couldn’t carry on.”
Cameron passed away a few weeks after his operation - leaving behind a heartbroken mother, father and little sister.
“He embraced what his new future would look like. But the operation made him weaker and his body couldn’t carry on.”
Cameron passed away a few weeks after his operation - leaving behind his heartbroken mother, father and little sister.
Cherise said: “He was a typical 20-year-old. He loved his music, concerts, food and he loved life.
“The gym was such a passion of his; he was so into being as healthy as possible.”
“We were so proud of the young man he grew up into."
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