Dame Deborah James’ mother has paid tribute to her late daughter on what would be her 43rd birthday.
On Instagram, the cancer activist’s mother, Heather James, revealed a never-before-seen clip of her daughter giving a moving speech wondering what the future held for her, at an event before her death.
Heather, 66, a gymnastics coach, was a great support to her daughter as she battled bowel cancer, before Deborah passed away in June 2022.
In the tribute posted on Instagram, he wrote: ‘Happy birthday Deborah on what would have been your 43rd birthday! You may have disappeared from our sight, but you will never disappear from our hearts. His legacy lives on, not only in the work he has done, but also in the lives he has touched.
‘We remember his contagious energy, his humor and his enthusiasm for life, proving that even in the darkest moments there is always light.
Dame Deborah James’ mother paid tribute to her late daughter on what would be her 43rd birthday (Deborah, left, pictured with her mother, right)
Deborah James, pictured, in a video where she gave a speech in which she wondered what the future held for her.
‘We miss you and love you every day. With all our love, mom and dad.’
Heather tagged the fund Bowelbabe and Bowel CancerUK, adding the hashtag #nevertooyoung and #rebellioushope, which became Dame Deborah’s mantra after she announced she had moved into palliative care.
Accompanying the post is a never-before-seen clip of the late Deborah, who read a moving speech during an event.
She can be heard saying, “Thank you so much for going on this crazy journey with me, step by step.” I don’t know what the future holds, but I sure want to slide sideways with a huge margarita and a whiskey in each hand to remind myself how much fun it is.’
Your quote is possibly a reference to a line from a book by Hunter S. Thompson, which says similarly. ‘The journey of life is not to arrive safely at the grave, with a well-preserved body, but to skate sideways, totally exhausted, shouting “Holy cow, what a journey.”‘
Dame Deborah James died at the age of 40 on 28 June 2022 after a phenomenal campaign to raise funds for the treatment of bowel cancer.
After being diagnosed with bowel cancer aged 35 in 2016, she became a viral sensation through her social media content as she danced through chemotherapy and lived with “rebellious hope”.
Channeling her inner Celine Dion, she started a movement on TikTok to mimic her journey through It’s All Coming Back to Me Now, encouraging other people undergoing cancer treatment to join in and dress in sparkles while in the hospital.
In 2018, she began writing about her illness in the Bowelbabe column and hosted the podcast You, Me and The Big C with Lauren Mahon and Rachael Bland, who died of breast cancer in 2018, aged 40.
In the final months of her life, mother-of-two Deborah launched the Bowelbabe Fund, which raised more than £11 million for cancer charities.
While she spent her final days at her parents’ home in Woking, Surrey, Heather and her father Alistair helped care for their daughter, along with Deborah’s own children, Hugo and Eloise, and her husband Seb.
Heather James has dedicated a heartfelt birthday tribute to her daughter Deborah, who lost her life to bowel cancer two years ago.
Heather, 66, a gymnastics coach, was a great support to her daughter as she battled bowel cancer, before passing away in June 2022.
In the tribute posted on Instagram, he wrote: ‘Happy birthday Deborah on what would have been your 43rd birthday! You may be gone from our sight, but you will never be gone from our hearts.
Bowel cancer can cause blood in the stool, a change in bowel habit, a lump inside the intestine that can cause blockages. Some people also experience weight loss as a result of these symptoms.
Heather and her daughter always had a close bond. Her mother has been a constant support for the former assistant principal turned cancer activist since she was first diagnosed in 2016.
She was by her side during countless hospital stays, joined Deborah’s viral “chemo dances” and took care of her grandchildren “at the drop of a hat.”
Heather also made sure Deborah’s fans were kept up to date on her condition, sharing updates on her own Instagram page @bowelgran, and stood in for her daughter when she was unwell to attend events.
One such occasion was the launch of the ‘No Butts’ campaign alongside Lorraine Kelly, which aimed to raise awareness of bowel cancer on the Scottish presenter’s daytime show from 19 April to 5 May.
Praising her mother’s appearance, Deborah said on Instagram: “So proud of my mother today for stepping in and helping launch the #NoButts campaign with @lorraine.
‘This campaign is something that I am very passionate about. So of course I’m gutted that I’m not well enough to be there in person (yet!).’
In her final days, Dame Deborah launched a clothing line with InTheStyle based on her ‘Rebellious Hope’ mantra.
She also received her Damehood, which was personally presented by Prince William, who came to Woking for afternoon tea in Heather and Alistair’s garden.
Heather continues to campaign for her daughter, regularly warning others about the symptoms of cancer and continues to raise money for her Bowelbabe fund.
