Deborah James’ mother Heather has revealed how she felt her daughter’s presence on her son Benjamin’s recent wedding day.
She made the comments while appearing on Lorraine this morning to discuss how her ‘No Butts’ campaign will continue.
The campaign, which aims to raise awareness of bowel cancer, launched in April 2021 and Dame Deborah appeared on the show to launch it.
Deborah, a mother of two, died at the age of 40 in June 2022 after a five-year battle with the disease.
Speaking today, Heather James, 66, from Surrey, responded to Lorraine by describing her daughter’s legacy as “amazing”.
Deborah James’ mother Heather appeared on Lorraine today (pictured) to talk about the show’s No Butts awareness campaign.
MOTHER AND DAUGHTER: Heather (pictured right) with her daughter Dame Deborah James (pictured left)
She said: “Let’s hope… that one day we can find a cure for this terrible disease.”
Heather added, “We’ll get people checked beforehand.”
Part of the No Butts campaign is the distribution of toilet paper rolls with bowel cancer information across the UK.
Lorraine said of the buns: ‘[Deborah] I would have loved [them] because even towards the end she was campaigning for this to happen… to get the message out to the bog rolls.’
Heather noted that Deborah would love for Lorraine to continue the No Butts campaign and continue raising awareness.
Dr Hilary also appeared on the segment to talk about the campaign and some of the symptoms of bowel cancer.
It revealed that a 10 percent increase in colon cancer cases is expected over the next 15 years, “going from 42,800 now to around 47,000 within 15 years.”
The doctor continued: “That’s why it’s very important that we raise awareness.”
‘[Heather via the Bowel Babe charity] is spending a lot of money on researching the causes of early bowel cancer and detecting early bowel cancer.
“This will go a long way, but of course we still have our leaflets informing people [about the symptoms] if they are too young to be screened.
Listing what people should watch for, Dr. Hilary continued: “Look for blood in your poop… any obvious changes in your bowel habit that last more than three weeks, any weight loss that you can’t easily explain, any tiredness extreme”. and lumps in your belly or pain in your belly again, which you can’t explain.’
While on the show, Heather also talked about her son Benjamin’s wedding, which recently took place in Barbados.
She said: ‘It was obviously emotional but it was also very beautiful. We took Deborah with us.
Heather continued: “She was there and everyone gave her one or two, even three glasses of champagne.”
He also talked about how Ben popped the question to his then-fiancee Ashley after the family met Prince William in 2022, and even he asked why the couple hadn’t gotten married.
As part of the campaign, these toilet paper rolls with information about the disease are being distributed across the UK.
After proposing, Deborah revealed the happy news on Instagram, writing: ‘Ashley Hall and Benjamin James have finally ‘put the ring on it.’ I cried and cried… Even Prince William asked my brother why he hadn’t done it yet.’
Posting a gallery of snaps online, the mother-of-two wrote: ‘Finally put a ring on it! Congratulations to @benjaminrjames and @ashleyclairehall for finally getting engaged after 11 years!
‘If you’ve ever followed my podcasts, sibling banter is a big deal, and even Prince William got in on the action recently!
‘The question for my brother has always been, why haven’t you proposed to him? As a family, everyone knew they both wanted to do it, it wasn’t like it had been ruled out, it just apparently always came down to “the right time.”
She continued: “So they finally did it and then clocked me in from Cornwall and then with all my friends. My mouth was still open for the rest of the day!
“I couldn’t be prouder to finally say that @ashleyclairehall will be my sister-in-law; I adore her.” And she makes @benjaminrjames happy, which is what matters, and vice versa.”
Sharing the joyful news of the engagement on her Instagram page in 2022, Deborah revealed that even Prince William had asked Benjamin ‘why he hasn’t (proposed) yet.’
Deborah added: “Of course I’m sad I won’t be seeing the wedding, but it gave me an excuse to throw my last impromptu party (and I even sat at the table for a while!!).”
The family continued to celebrate with a stunning cookout to mark the occasion, with Deborah writing: “With the help of my sister and niece, it was @cricut days, the kids baked a cake and made a mess, and I located All the last minute silver fairy lights I could find!
‘I love creating tablescapes and parties and while that was the last one for me, Eloise has really surpassed me so I’m happy to be able to pass on the party train trait. A memory created without us even trying to make it into a memory! Gain!
‘Thankfully the rain stopped and my body stayed awake for a few hours! Ashley, officially welcome to a slightly crazy family, but we couldn’t be happier that you’re here.
Following Deborah’s death, Benjamin thanked his “big sister Debs” for helping him “find a life worth enjoying” in an emotional tribute to the cancer activist.
He posted the heartfelt words on Instagram before his funeral took place in July 2022 and said his legacy would “live forever.”
He accompanied the moving words with a selection of images of the couple showing their close bond, including a picture of them running the Race for Life, which raises funds for cancer research.
Prince William visited the mother-of-two and her family (pictured) to present her with a damehood in May that year, after she raised millions for Cancer Research UK through her BowelBabe fund.
Benjamin wrote: ‘Big sister, Debs. Thank you for teaching me how to live life to the fullest from the day I was born. You made me find that life worth enjoying!
‘Saying goodbye will never be easy, but knowing that you accomplished more than any of us could dream of… and so much more… makes it a little more bearable.
‘His legacy will last forever and we will do everything we can to make him proud. Take it easy up there. This is for you x.’
Dame Deborah, a podcast host and mother of two who became known as Bowelbabe, by name on social media, died aged 40 on June 28, 2022 after being diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2016.
After being diagnosed with cancer when she was 35, she became a viral sensation through her social media content while dancing through chemotherapy and living with “rebellious hope.”