A friend of Dame Deborah James has shared details of his final phone call with the late podcast host and charity campaigner prior to her death. In a new interview, pal Tony Livesey opened up about what was said between the two of them - admitting he struggled to put the phone down.
He also revealed that the mum said she was "frightened of dying". Deborah sadly lost her battle to bowel cancer back in June 2022. She passed away aged 40, following a five-year battle with the disease, the Express reports.
Reflecting on the legacy she left behind, Deborah's 'You, Me and the Big C' co-stars and friends Lauren Mahon, Emma Campbell and 5-Live presenter Tony Livesey recently spoke about all she achieved during her lifetime - including raising a whopping £11.3m for her Bowelbabe Fund for Cancer Research UK. They then went on to open up about their final moments with the campaigner.
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Tony said the pair had many "honest conversations" over the years. But it was the last call he had with Deborah that was most heartbreaking. Speaking to Radio Times., he said: “She was crying, scared, and it was the first time she admitted that she was frightened of death."
He added: “I couldn’t put the phone down as I knew it would be the last time I would speak to her. We were like young kids on a date – ‘you put it down,’ ‘no you put it down.’ In the end she put the phone down. And that was the last time I ever spoke to her.”
Recalling the moment he was sent a text message by Deborah's husband Sebastien confirming she had died, Tony admitted he "broke down". Paying tribute to the broadcaster, he continued: “What a legacy – to die knowing you’ve saved one life is amazing, but she has saved thousands.”
Dame Deborah was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2016, aged 35. She quickly became an outspoken campaigner, encouraging people to check for signs of the deadly disease.
In May 2022, Bowelbabe was set up - a month before Dame Deborah's death. She launched the fundraising incentive in a bid to raise money for Cancer Research UK, with an initial target of £250,000.
Prior to her passing, Deborah urged people to: “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." To donate to Bowelbabe Fund, click here.
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