Dame Deborah James was a cancer campaigner who worked tirelessly to raise awareness of bowel cancer until her death last year.
James, who started blogging her journey under the moniker Bowelbabe when she was diagnosed with incurable stage four bowel cancer in 2016, quickly became the voice of bowel cancer activism.
The campaigner died aged 40 on 28 June 2022, but left behind a legacy in which she educated thousands of people on bowel cancer symptoms and raised millions of pounds for Cancer Research UK. At the time of writing, James’s Bowelbabe fund has raised £11.3m for the cause.
In her five years as a campaigner, James authored two books, ran the London Marathon and received a damehood. And now, her journey is documented in the shattering BBC Two film Bowelbabe in Her Own Words.
James was born in London in 1981 to Heather and Alistair James. She went on to study economics at the University of Exeter. She married Sebastien Bowen in 2008 and the couple went on to have two children, Hugo and Eloise.
Before her diagnosis, she was a deputy headteacher at the Matthew Arnold School in Staines-upon-Thames and was training to become a headteacher. After learning she had incurable cancer aged 35, she decided it was her mission to raise awareness of the disease, which is the second most common cause of cancer death in the UK.
Everything James did in her work as a cancer campaigner:
2016 – James was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer
“For me my life didn’t change at 4pm on an idle Tuesday, it was 7pm on an idle Thursday just before Christmas 2016,” James said of her diagnosis.
After noticing a change to her bowel habits, namely passing blood in her stool, James visited her doctor.
James underwent several referral appointments before going for a colonoscopy when a tumour was located.
“And yet I was still losing weight, passing blood, going what felt like 100 times per day and feeling shattered. I knew there was something wrong with me, a sixth sense if you will, because for the first time I was afraid – very afraid about taking this further,” she said.
“I was blind-sided at 7pm on Thursday 15 December 2016, when having refused the sedative and having researched what cancerous tumours would appear like in a colonoscopy (total hypochondriac geek alert!), I stared my ugly 5.5cm cancerous, ulcerated stage 3 tumour in the face and everything went silent.”
2017 – James begins writing a column for The Sun newspaper titled Things Cancer Made Me Say
After launching her BowelBabe blog, James worked as a columnist for The Sun, sharing her experiences as a mother-of-two living with incurable cancer.
March 2018 – Co-hosts theYou, Me and the Big C podcast for BBC Radio
Alongside fellow cancer patients Lauren Mahon and Rachael Bland, the latter of whom died in September 2018, James opened up about the taboos that surround cancer and candidly shared her journey after her diagnosis.
October 2018 – James publishes her first book: F*** You Cancer: How to Face the Big C, Live Your Life and Still Be Yourself
James authored her first book documenting her two years living with cancer, to show the reality of navigating life following an incurable diagnosis.
July 2020 – James hosts a BBC Panorama special titled Britain’s Cancer Crisis
During the Covid-19 lockdown, Panorama investigated fears that the pandemic had causes a crisis in cancer care. James reported on the crisis for the episode.
October 2020 – James runs the virtual London marathon
“We did it! Today we ran the @londonmarathon in a very 2020 virtual way!” James wrote on Instagram at the time.
“We left the Marsden steps at 7.15am With classic “London” rain (and wind!), the whole way and returned just over 6 and a half hours later (we spent 40 minutes on wee stops according to the app), but the spirit of the event shone through.”
June 2021 – James announces that her cancer is moving in “the wrong direction”
In her column, the cancer campaigner shared that her drugs were not “working”. And then in a separate Instagram post, she wrote: “I think you all know, by my general lack of being on here (dancing!), that things have moved (in the wrong direction) very quickly cancer wise.”
She added: “Whilst it goes without saying that I’ve felt at rock bottom, I’m not giving up hope just yet.”
9 May 2022 – James announces that she was receiving hospice-at-home care and announces BowelBabe fund
“The message I never wanted to write. We have tried everything, but my body simply isn’t playing ball,” James shared on Instagram at the time.
“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. I know we have left no stone unturned. But even with all the innovative cancer drugs in the world or some magic new breakthrough, my body just can’t continue anymore.”
“I always knew there was one thing I always wanted to do before I died. As a result, the @bowelbabefund is being established and I’d love nothing more than for you to help it flourish,” she wrote.
Less than 48 hours later, £3m was raised for the BowelBabe fund.
Also in May, James launched her clothing line in collaboration with fashion company In The Style, featuring t-shirts with the words Rebellious Hope across the chest, with donations going to the BowelBabe fund for Cancer Research UK. A month later, it was announced that the collection had raised £1m for the cause.
13 May 2022 – Prince William personally delivers damehood to James’s home
James was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for services to charity and cancer awareness.She received her damehood from Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, at her parental home.
“Prince William actually came to our family house today!!” James wrote on Instagram at the time.
“It’s quite surreal having a royal pop in at home, and yes you can imagine the cleaning antics and preparation went off the scale - but it was all irrelevant because William was so kind and he put us all at ease.”
“I am utterly honoured that he joined us for afternoon tea and champagne, where he not only spent a generous amount of time talking to my whole family but also honoured me with my Damehood.”
17 May 2022 – James announces her second book How to Live When You Could Be Dead with Penguin Random House
For each book sold, £3 was pledged towards Cancer Research UK.
22 June 2022 – Andrex honours BowelBabe by adding bowel cancer symptoms to packaging
In the week before James’s death, Andrex honoured her work by adding a QR code that leads to signs and symptoms of bowel cancer onto its packaging.
“We’re honoured to partner with @bowelcancerUK to help raise awareness of their incredible work,” Andrex said in a statement at the time.
“From September, we’ll be adding a QR code that leads to signs and symptoms of the disease onto our packaging. Thank you @bowelcancerUK and @bowelbabe for your incredible work.”
28 June 2022 – Dame Deborah James dies aged 40
“We are deeply saddened to announce the death of Dame Deborah James; the most amazing wife, daughter, sister, mummy. Deborah passed away peacefully today, surrounded by her family,” her family shared in a statement at the time.
It continued: “Deborah shared her experience with the world to raise awareness, break down barriers, challenge taboos and change the conversation around cancer. Even in her most challenging moments, her determination to raise money and awareness was inspiring.”
Her family then shared some final words from James: “Find a life worth enjoying; take risks; love deeply; have no regrets; and always, always have rebellious hope. And finally, check your poo – it could just save your life.”
‘BowelBabe in Her Own Words’ airs at 9pm on BBC Two on Monday 17 April
