Dame Deborah James’ mum makes moving tribute to her daughter to mark World Cancer Day 18 months after campaigner’s death
THE MUM of Dame Deborah James has paid moving tribute to her daughter on World Cancer Day.
Heather James took to Instagram to write a moving post honouring Deborah, who died of bowel cancer in June 2022 at the age of 40.
Deborah's mum shared a post from her late daughter's Bowelbabe Fund, adding: "Four years ago on World Cancer Day, Deborah pledged to continue to raise awareness of bowel cancer.
"Deborah you will never be forgotten and through the Bowelbabe fund your legacy continues.
"Love and miss you forever.'
She continued: "What a big hole you have left in our hearts and lives."
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The brave mum-of-two, known as BowelBabe to her legions of Instagram fans, was diagnosed with incurable bowel cancer just days before Christmas in 2016, at the age of 35.
Despite being told she had an eight per cent chance of living five years, Deborah defied the odds stacked against her, and died six months before her 41st birthday.
Deborah shared every step of her journey with Sun readers in her column Things Cancer Made Me Say and amassed an army of loyal social media followers.
She went on to present the award-winning BBC podcast with fellow cancer patients Rachael Bland, who passed away in September 2018, Lauren Mahon and Rachael’s husband Steve.
In it, she told listeners: “It’s amazing how much you wish for another sunset or another cuddle.
“You can’t leave things until tomorrow, because there might not be a tomorrow.
“Please enjoy life because it’s so precious. All I want right now is more time and more life.
“Oh and ‘check your poo’, I can’t leave on any other words than ‘check your poo.’"
In the five-and-a-half years since her diagnosis Deborah changed the conversation around bowel cancer, raising vital awareness and breaking down taboos.
You can’t leave things until tomorrow, because there might not be a tomorrow
Dame Deborah James
She tirelessly banged the F*** Cancer drum - writing a book of the same name - and vowed to do everything she could to help others avoid her fate.
In May 2022 she revealed her treatment was no longer working, and she had moved back to her parent's home in Woking to die.
In a heartbreaking goodbye message to her Instagram followers, she said: "My body just can't continue.
"The message I never wanted to write. We have tried everything, but my body simply isn’t playing ball.
"My active care has stopped and I am now moved to hospice at home care, with my incredible family all around me and the focus is on making sure I’m not in pain and spending time with them.
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"Nobody knows how long I’ve got left but I’m not able to walk, I’m sleeping most of the days, and most things I took for granted are pipe dreams."
In the final weeks of her life, Deborah was recognised with a Damehood, and Prince William visited her at her family home to present her with the honour.
What are the symptoms of bowel cancer?
BOWEL cancer is the fourth most common form of the disease in the UK - but the second deadliest, claiming around 16,000 lives a year.
Yet it can be cured, if it’s diagnosed early enough.
Fewer than one in ten people survive bowel cancer if it’s picked up at stage 4, but detected at stage 1 - before it’s spread - and more than nine in ten patients will live five years or longer.
There are two ways to ensure early diagnosis, screening and awareness of the symptoms.
Brits have been subjected to a postcode lottery when it comes to bowel cancer screening, with tests sent out in Scotland from 50, while people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have to wait until they are 60.
That’s why The Sun launched the No Time 2 Lose campaign, calling on the Government to lower the screening age, to save thousands of lives a year.
In the summer of 2018, Matt Hancock agreed, in a victory for The Sun and campaigners - yet three years on and screening at 50 has yet to be widely rolled out.
While screening is an important part of early diagnosis, so is knowing the symptoms and acting if you spot the signs.
The five red-flag symptoms are:
- Bleeding from the back passage, or blood in your poo
- A change in your normal toilet habits - going more or less often for example
- Pain or lump in your tummy
- Extreme tiredness for no real reason
- Unexplained weight loss
If you’re worried, don’t be embarrassed and speak to your GP - doctors see and deal with bowel problems all the time.