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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Entertainment
Lily Waddell

Deborah James tells of heartbreaking cancer diagnosis on E4’s Embarrassing Bodies

Deborah James has spoken of the heartbreaking moment she received her cancer diagnosis as she continues to receive end of life care.

It comes after the 40-year-old podcaster revealed she has defied all expectations by outliving her life expectancy as doctors told her she had days or a week to live when she left hospital last month.

During her pre-recorded appearance on E4’s Embarrassing Bodies on Thursday, Bowel Babe detailed the heartbreaking moment she received her cancer diagnosis aged 35.

She told GP Dr Tosin Ajayi-Sotubo: “I started going to the poo - we need to say that - eight times a day. And I used to be a once-a-day kind of girl.

“Then I started getting really tired and I remember drinking loads of cups of coffee just to try and keep myself awake. Then I started losing loads of weight and I started having blood in my poo.”

It was at this moment she had a “gut instinct that something wasn’t right”.

Elsewhere on the show, the campaigner got candid as she pledged to break the taboo around poo.

She said: “We all poo, our favourite celebrities poo. Let’s break down and smash those taboos, because quite frankly that is going to save lives.”

Earlier, she wrote on Instagram: “I recorded this with the Embarrassing Bodies team a good while ago but it’s out tonight.”

Also on Thursday, Ms James revealed she has been “in limbo” after outliving the life expectancy given to her by doctors.

She said on Instagram: “I find myself living in limbo land, not really knowing what the future holds and for how long.

“It’s a very stressful uncertain place to be because when I was discharge from hospital over a month ago I was given days, maybe a week to live. And I felt like it.

“But as we all know life doesn’t go according to plan, so I’m just grateful for what ever extra time, the powers that be have decided to grant me. So despite the unnerving tears, I look at the sunshine, smile, and think, wow, life is a funny thing isn’t it!! Better enjoy it!”

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