He began experiencing pains in his chest and head before being diagnosed with the rare disease.
The 19-year-old grandfather was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder after he found he was unable to carry out everyday activities, quickly became fatigued and suffered chest and head pains. Following his diagnosis, David Cope became the first person in the UK to be administered a new life-saving drug.
The 67-year-old man was critically ill with a rare blood disorder and was diagnosed earlier this year with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), a condition in which blood clots in small blood vessels throughout the body, cutting off blood flow to major organs.
He became the first patient in the UK to receive intravenous (IV) treatment for TTP as part of a clinical trial at Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (LUHFT), a less invasive treatment than the standard treatment for TTP, which requires multiple plasma exchanges, round-the-clock care and an induced coma.
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David, from Tameside, Manchester, has always led an active lifestyle and retired from a career as an electrician in January this year. A father of six and 19 grandchildren, David splits his time between his home in Tameside and a caravan in Prestatyn, Wales. Earlier this year, David noticed he was unable to carry out his normal daily routine, was getting tired easily and was experiencing chest and head pains.
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He said: “For a few weeks I had been exhausted and my wife urged me to go for a check-up but I didn’t really care. The day before I was admitted to hospital I was looking after my grandson and I started to feel really unwell and my eyesight started to deteriorate. As a family we decided it was right for me to go to the emergency room and everything went smoothly from there.”
David underwent tests and scans to confirm the diagnosis and was then taken to the intensive care unit at the Royal Liverpool Hospital for treatment. The disease is reportedly fatal if left untreated and can have a severe impact on daily life.
Grandpa was examined by Dr. Dutt, a TTP specialist, who discussed with David and his family the opportunity for this clinical trial to potentially avoid long-term treatment with plasma exchange while also treating this rare disease.
Dr Dutt said: “When Mr Cope arrived on scene he was in a very unwell condition and we knew we needed to act immediately. He required round-the-clock care and was on life support at one point due to his deteriorating neurological condition.
“When David and his family arrived, I discussed clinical trial opportunities with them and explained that whatever they decided, we would do our best to effectively treat and control the disease.
“So far we have seen encouraging results with this new treatment and David’s condition continues to improve. Despite suffering from kidney failure, cardiac and neurological problems, David only required two days of plasma exchange and after four days he was ready to be discharged from the ICU.
“This disease and the current standard treatment options can place a tremendous burden on patients. We are committed to providing research opportunities that may improve patient care and outcomes. Mr. Cope and his family were engaged with the entire team from the moment they arrived and remained positive throughout the process. Rare diseases like David’s are not uncommon for patients living with them, which is why it is important to advance research in these areas.”
David’s wife, Julie, has been by his side throughout the process. She said: “The experience was terrifying. For days we didn’t know what had happened or what was going to happen to David.”
“After speaking with David, Dr. Dutt and her team spoke to my son and me and asked how we felt about David taking part in a clinical trial. This was a wonderful thing and we felt like we had a really important role in the treatment that David would receive.”
Today, David is back with his family, his blood levels remain stable, and he is feeling much better. TTP is a lifelong disease, but through research and new treatments, clinicians hope to find ways to make treatment less harsh and reduce the number of relapses patients experience over their lifetime.
David is currently undergoing treatment and is looking forward to returning to his caravan in North Wales, where he will spend the summer with his wife. David said: “A few weeks ago I didn’t know what TTP was, now I’m surviving and living with TTP. I can’t thank the team at Liverpool enough for all they’ve done.”
“It’s like a family there. It was scary facing an unknown illness, but the team made me feel like I’d known them my whole life.”
