THE Sun on Sunday is challenging YOU to lace up your trainers in honour of Dame Deborah James.
The 40-year-old Sun writer passed away on Tuesday, five years and seven months after being diagnosed with Stage 4 bowel cancer.
In her final weeks, Dame Debs launched her BowelBabe Fund — raising money for cancer research to save the lives of others.
She smashed her £250,000 target in a matter of days, raising a staggering £6.8million before her death.
Now we are calling on you to help realise Debs’ dream of seeing the fund hit £ 10 million.
The mum-of-two loved to run, often jogging to and from appointments at The Royal Marsden.
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She ran with her kids, Eloise, 12, and Hugo, 14, completed marathons and took part in Race For Life events.
So in her memory, we want you to challenge yourself, your kids, friends and family to run or walk any distance, from 1km to whatever you can manage, and donate what you can to her cause.
‘I owe my life to her’
Taking part is mum-of-two Donia Youssef. Last summer, the 44-year-old, from Grays, Essex, spotted blood in her poo, and because of Deborah’s campaigning got checked out straight away, leading to an early diagnosis and surgery to remove a Stage 1 tumour.
She said: “I owe my life to Deborah. If I hadn’t spotted the signs so early, it would have been a very different story.
“This is a fantastic idea to remember her. My girls are ten and seven now, and I want them to know why Mummy is still here, and to spread the word.”
In April 2017, Donia was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer and treated at The Royal Marsden, in Fulham, South West London — the same hospital that treated Debs.
She said: “I started running and walking, to challenge myself but also to lose some of the weight I’d gained from my treatment.
“I did a series of 10k and 5k runs, as well as charity walks organised by The Royal Marsden.
“On those walks and runs, I remember seeing Deborah. She was a cheery ball of energy.”
Dame Debs shared her journey in her online Sun column, Things Cancer Made Me Say.
In February 2020, just before the first lockdown, she revealed that running was her way of proving to herself that she was still alive.
Debs wrote: “My scans showed no evidence of any active disease. I’d convinced myself that my new aches and pains were new tumours. But I decided to run to the hospital to get my results — to try to tell myself I might be wrong.
“Running to the Royal Marsden has become one of my coping mechanisms. If I can run 8km, I can’t be dying.”
Running coach Gemma Hillier Walker was diagnosed with Stage 3 Burkitt’s lymphoma — a rare cancer — in 2012. Running has helped her recovery.
The former GB athlete and founder of Move, which helps people with cancer to exercise, says running was her saviour during chemotherapy.
She said: “Running helped me to focus on what I could control rather than focusing on things out of my control.”
Find out more at 5kyourway.org.
Deborah’s fund, which currently stands at just over £7.2million, will be divided between Cancer Research UK, Bowel Cancer UK and The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.
Comedian Sarah Mills, 32, from Stepney, East London, will be walking to raise money.
She was diagnosed with Stage 3C bowel cancer in 2018 after she spotted blood in her poo.
In March 2018, she had an eight-inch tumour removed and went on to have six months of chemo.
Throughout her treatment, she was inspired by Debs’ incredible spirit.
Sarah said: “Without her I would have lost the will to push forward. Her bravery also partially inspired me to switch careers to do stand-up comedy.”
If you fancy taking part, but fear you are not up to the challenge, Deborah had some sage advice.
She said: “Sometimes you just need somebody to persuade you to do something. And sometimes you end up doing some brilliant things.”
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Michelle Mitchell, chief executive at Cancer Research UK, said: “We’re honoured and grateful to have had Deborah’s support.
“She loved being active and was a passionate and proud ambassador for Race For Life.”
