DEBORAH James’ amazing legacy continues to shine brightly after she passed away from bowel cancer.
Throughout her final years, the late Sun columnist devoted her life to raising awareness for the disease.
The late Deborah James was an inspirational Sun columnist
Who was Deborah James?
Born on October 1, 1981, Deborah James was a former deputy head teacher turned blogger, podcaster and cancer campaigner.
After being diagnosed with stage 4 incurable bowel cancer, she started her blog, BowelBabe.
This blog then became a weekly column for Trending In The News Online called Things Cancer Made Me Say.
During her life she also presented the podcasts You, Me & the Big C for BBC’s Radio 5 Live, and The Good Stuff – which she hosts with her children, and is the author of F*** You Cancer.
When was Deborah diagnosed with cancer?
Deborah was diagnosed with incurable bowel cancer days before Christmas in 2016.
In May 2022 she revealed how she had been moved into a hospice and wrote a heartbreaking goodbye message, saying: “My body just can’t continue.”
Her Instagram post read: “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.
“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.”
You can read Deborah’s message in full here.
Deborah encouraged people to donate to her @bowelbabefund, which can be found at bowelbabe.org.
She said: “Please buy me a drink to see me out this world, by donating the cost to @bowelbabefund which will enable us to raise funds for further life saving research into cancer. To give more Deborah’s more time!”
On June 28, 2022 it was announced Dame Deborah had died from the disease.
Was Deborah married and did she have children?
Deborah was married to Sebastien Bowen and he is a banker.
He works for Pomona Capital, and before that he was a Director at MetLife Investments.
Together they had two children, Hugo and Eloise.
