Dame Deborah James’ mother has revealed the heartbreaking life advice the bowel cancer campaigner gave her children shortly before her death.
The mother of two passed away at the age of 40 in June 2022 after a five-year battle with bowel cancer.
To mark Mother’s Day, Heather James, 66, reflected on her daughter’s final weeks and how she prepared her children for life without her.
speaking to SunThe gymnastics coach, from Woking, explained how Deborah had a moving conversation with Hugo and Eloise days before her tragic death.
Heather said: “The weekend before he died, he told them they should live a life worth living.”
Pictured: Deborah James with her mother Heather during one of the bowel cancer campaigner’s hospital stays.
“You never know when your life will be taken, so take advantage of every moment and live,” he said. I try to follow that mantra too.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Heather said Deborah encouraged her to break the habit of “saving the best things for holidays and parties.”
He added: ‘Deborah would scold me! She was the complete opposite: she wore her favorite dresses, simply because she did.
“I’ve tried to channel that bold, bright perspective since she died.”
Yesterday, Heather James shared a Mother’s Day tribute to her daughter with her 106,000 Instagram followers.
She wrote: ‘Mother’s Day reminds you how much you loved the wonderful times you had with your children growing up. You think about all the magical times we had together and the fun you had.
“But today is also a time to remember family members who are sadly no longer with us; for me, I remember my own mother, who died in 2016 at age 90, because her family was the center of her life and, as she grew older, she loved being with her daughters, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren who brought her so much joy and love.
“Of course, this is a time when I remember Deborah and think of the fun times she had with her own family and with us and again realize how much we still miss her; today with her own children she was always one of your special moments.
Reflecting on her daughter’s final days, Heather James recalled how she told Eloise and Hugo to “live a life worth living.”
Heather James, pictured on the Lorraine show in August 2022. To mark Mother’s Day, Heather James, 66, reflected on her daughter’s final weeks and how she prepared her children for life without her.
‘My love to all of you on this day and thinking especially of those who have lost a mother or child at this time. Xx’
In her latest podcast You, Me and the Big C, which launched in May 2022, Deborah said an emotional goodbye to her loyal listeners and revealed that she had decided to live out her days in her parents’ bungalow in Woking to spare her children the constant reminders in his London home.
“It’s kind of where I always wanted to die, funnily enough. I have always had it in mind,” Débora said at the time. ‘I think I always knew I didn’t want to be home in London. It doesn’t feel right.’
It came after Deborah said she is preparing to “surrender to the inevitable” and was in palliative care at the end of her life surrounded by her family, in a heartfelt “final” column for The Sun.
The 40-year-old star of the acclaimed ‘You, Me and the Big C’ podcast wrote that his body had been left “emaciated” after a five-year battle with bowel cancer.
Her mother, Heather, was a constant support for the former deputy headteacher turned cancer campaigner, who was living with stage four bowel cancer after being diagnosed in December 2016.
Dame Deborah James’ daughter Eloise previously modeled a limited edition Christmas jumper to raise money for the late journalist’s charitable fund.
Deborah launched ‘Rebellious Hope’ t-shirts in 2022 to raise money for her BowelBabe fund and her family has continued to fundraise in her memory.
She was by her side during countless hospital stays, joined Deborah’s viral ‘chemo dances’ – in which the pair shook a leg to help the presenter get through another cycle of chemo – and looked after her grandchildren.’ In a blink of an eye’. ‘.
Five months after Deborah’s death, her daughter Eloise modeled a limited-edition Christmas jumper to raise money for her BowelBabe charity fund.
Eloise wore a white jumper that read the words “Rebellious Hope” with holly emblazoned across the letters as part of her family’s festive fundraising campaign.
Deborah launched ‘Rebellious Hope’ t-shirts earlier this year to raise money for her BowelBabe fund and her family have continued to fundraise in her memory.
Eloise, who wore a dress from Deborah’s InTheStyle collection, which was designed in the final weeks of her life, also thanked her followers for their “mind-blowing” contribution.
Hugo also said that the family still emphasizes the importance of the “rebellious hope” that his mother had always urged everyone to have.
Deborah’s ‘Rebellious Hope’ t-shirts have already raised more than £1.68 million for the fund and her family said they hope the new jumpers can carry Deborah’s ‘light and magic’.
In April last year, Deborah’s husband, Sebastien Bowen, said their children were still clinging to the mantra of having “rebellious hope.”
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, the widower revealed that his wife had died “peacefully” and had been surrounded by her family at the age of 40 in June 2022.
Recalling telling his children on the day of the funeral that “if we can get through this together, I think we can get through anything,” Sebastian said the message still rings true for them.
“I think that affects us a little bit… I like to think we’re a pretty strong unit,” he added.
Meanwhile, Deborah’s children reflected on their mother’s legacy, which they remain proud of today.
“It’s just amazing to think… well, first of all, what a legacy it is,” Hugo, 15, told the show.
And secondly, the amount that could be achieved with this 11 million is, I think, beyond what anyone could imagine at this time.”
Hugo also said that the family still emphasizes the importance of the “rebellious hope” that his mother had always urged everyone to have.
“It means that regardless of anything, there is always something that will keep you going,” he added.
Eloise, who wore a dress from Deborah’s InTheStyle collection, which was designed in the final weeks of her life, also thanked her followers for their “mind-blowing” contribution and spoke candidly about finding joy in her health journey. mother.
She revealed that she and her mother would “dance every second”, especially if Deborah had a bad day after chemotherapy.
“It was good to have them help you with things because you didn’t think about it, you just danced,” she explained.