PODCASTER and fundraiser Dame Deborah James has been hailed as a forced of nature following her death at the age of 40.
The mother of two, who became known as Bowelbabe, died on Tuesday after being diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2016 and has been remembered by political leaders, charities, celebrities and many whose lives have been affected by cancer.
Nicola Sturgeon sought to personally pay tribute to the campaigner as she was interviewed on ITV’s Good Morning Britain.
She said: “Her loss at such a young age is clearly tragic, but the work she did to raise awareness of bowel cancer and of course the immense amount of money that she has raised will make such a difference.”
The First Minister added: “My thoughts are with her family today.”
BBC TV presenter George Alagiah, who was diagnosed with advanced bowel cancer in 2014, said James was “a beacon, lighting the way for us all of us #livingwithcancer”.
He tweeted: “Knowing that @bowelbabe Dame Deborah James was nearing the end of her journey here does not make her passing any easier to accept. She was a beacon, lighting the way for all of us #livingwithcancer. Thank you for your example. Deborah, rest in peace now.”
According to Genevieve Edwards, the chief executive of Bowel Cancer UK, James leaves a “tremendous legacy”.
Edwards told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “She never stopped raising awareness. Bowel cancer is something people find difficult to talk about often and don’t really … they find it a little bit embarrassing.
“She’s stripped all of that away and shone a powerful light on it.”
Knowing that @bowelbabe Dame Deborah James was nearing the end of her journey here does not make her passing any easier to accept. She was a beacon, lighting the way for all of us #livingwithcancer. Thank you for your example. Deborah, rest in peace now.
— George Alagiah (@BBCAlagiah) June 28, 2022
Teresa Whitfield, who was diagnosed with stage 3 bowel cancer after seeing James talking about symptoms on TV, told the programme that the podcast host had saved her life.
Asked what she would say to James family, Whitfield, who is now cancer-free, said: “I think I actually have only one word which is thank-you.
“Without her, I don’t think I would be here today. Her campaigning is critical and we, as bowel cancer patients, as bowel cancer survivors, and as anybody who thinks they might have bowel cancer, we have to carry on with the legacy that she has.
“We have to carry on campaigning to raise awareness.”
died on Tuesday after spending her final weeks receiving end-of-life care at home with her husband, Sebastien, and their two children.
In her final weeks, James – a presenter of the BBC podcast You, Me And The Big C – raised almost £7 million for research and was made a dame for her “tireless” work improving awareness of the disease.
Her damehood was conferred by the the Duke of Cambridge, who joined her family for afternoon tea and champagne at home in a surprise visit.
James revealed in early May that she had stopped active treatment and was seeing out her final days at her parents’ home in Woking.
BBC presenter Adele Roberts, who was being treated for bowel cancer but announced this week she is “free of cancer”, wrote on Instagram: “My heart hurts. Thank you for everything Deborah. Thank you for being so strong for so long and helping others when you were in so much pain yourself.
“You are the best of us. Thinking of your family and friends and I am forever grateful to you for helping me and my family.”
She ended her post quoting a slogan that appeared on a t-shirt which was part of James’s fashion collaboration with In The Style.
Roberts wrote: “Rebellious hope forever.”
Her death was announced on Tuesday with a message saying she had passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family.
Boris Johnson was among those to pay tribute, and wrote on Twitter: “I’m terribly saddened to hear that Dame Deborah James has died. What an inspiration she was to so many.
“The awareness she brought to bowel cancer and the research her campaigning has funded will be her enduring legacy.
“Because of her, many many lives will be saved.”
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said news of her death was “deeply sad”.
He added: “Dame Deborah James’ charity work was truly inspirational — even in the most challenging moments, she continued to raise awareness about bowel cancer and impacted so many people’s lives.
“Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this difficult time.”
