DEBORAH James moved her podcast producer to tears as she signed off with her final poignant episode, saying “that’s it from me”.
Trending In The News columnist, known as Bowel Babe, has been living with bowel cancer since 2016.
This week she revealed she is now receiving hospice care and will spend her last days surrounded by family.
She opened up about stopping active treatment in her final episode of her BBC podcast titled – You, Me and the Big C: Putting the can in cancer.
The episode, movingly called Deborah James’ Last Dance, saw her speak candidly to producer Mike Holt.
The pair shared a powerful chat on her final days, and the impact of the podcast on cancer patients.
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Mike struggled to contain his emotion as Deborah said she was comforted by the thought she would be with Rachel Bland – her co-host on the podcast who tragically died in 2018.
She said “I’ll go an party with her”, as an overwhelmed Mike let out a shaky breath.
Stifling tears, she added: “I think well if she can do it, I can do it. We always had a joke about grim reapers on the other side.
“I still have it as one of my gifs, so it’s ironic. Maybe she will meet me on the other side and be like ‘wow, better late than never!”
Later he told her, fighting through tears: “Debs. I think you should be really proud.
“The work has always been to raise awareness about bowel cancer and cancer in general.
“What you did once you had cancer does define you and what you did has been inspirational.
“I am going to finish this sentence – working with you has been one of the most inspiring experiences.”
This week Deborah unveiled her BowelBabe Fund and urged her supportive fans to help it flourish.
Donations can be made at bowelbabe.org, and more than £2million has been raised in less than 24 hours.
She asked supporters to buy her a drink to “see me out this world” by donating the cost to the fund.
Trending In The News columnist said it would raise money for further life-saving cancer research “to give more Deborah’s more time”.
The money will be donated between Cancer Research UK, Bowel Cancer UK and the Royal Marsden.
