Bolton man died in India after going for treatment for disease

Alexander Samuel Shonibare of 49 Stanworth Avenue in Breightmet, died at Zydus Hospital in Gujarat, India on November 16.

Doctors  said he had a viral infection.

The sister of Mr Shonibare, Mary Shonibare said: “We just want to say that we love him, he was a great man, and we are proud of him.

“He dealt with so much pain and we loved him so much for going through all of that.

“He will always be in our hearts and thank him for being part of our family.

“And we are thankful he showed us how to be loved.”

An inquest into his death was held this week.

The hearing was told that Mr Shonibare had travelled to the Indian state in the summer after a lifetime dealing with debilitating severe Crohn’s disease which led to doctors suggesting a stoma, something he tried to avoid.

The 22-year-old had researched and found a hospital in India that could carry out a procedure that would allow him to lead a normal life without needing a stoma, the court heard.

Reading out statements by doctors in India, Coroner John Pollard told the hearing,  doctors had carried out two procedures as part of this treatment, but Mr Shonibare became very ill in this time, experiencing jaundice before spiralling and showing liver failure and pancreatitis.

Mr Shonibare’s family were informed by doctors in November of his illness and after flying over to see him, the young man lost his life after deteriorating rapidly.

Pathologist Dr Patrick Waugh said he could not determine the cause of death himself as the body had been embalmed and it made it harder to ascertain certain things, but there was evidence of pancreatitis.

Dr Waugh said it was not possible to ascertain whether liver failure had led to the death because a thorough post mortem was not possible because of the length of time.

Dr Waugh said: "There is an unascertained cause of death due to the lack of medical information and I cannot comment on the liver."

Medical reports from India maintained Mr Shonibare had contracted a virus which led to his death.

Mr Pollard added that requests had been made for 'medical records from India' but that these were not received.

He said: "Requests were made for more medical records and information but despite this, nothing has bene received."

Sitting at Bolton Coroner’s Court,  Mr Pollard, said he would record the death as that confirmed by the doctors in India of  liver failure, as an accidental death.

Mr Pollard said: “He was a young man who suffered with a horrible disease.

“He put up with it a long time and had lots of medical treatment.

“He reached the point where it was aggressive and Dr Stella Smith was of the opinion that the only long-term solution was to create a stoma.

“I understand he avoided that and took all stops to do so.”