The cancer campaigner, blogger, broadcaster and former teacher, Dame Deborah James, has died aged 40. She had been receiving end-of-life care for bowel cancer at home and had raised millions for cancer research. The host of the BBC’s You, Me and the Big C podcast was given a damehood in May in recognition of her fundraising. Dame Deborah, a mother of two, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2016. Her family described her as “amazing” and an “inspiration”. They announced her death in a post on her Instagram page. “We are deeply saddened to announce the death of Dame Deborah James; the most amazing wife, daughter, sister, mummy,” it said.
She passed away peacefully surrounded by her family. Her family said Dame Deborah shared her experience of cancer 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.”
Dame Deborah was praised for her no-nonsense approach to talking about cancer and had shared her experiences of treatment and daily life since her diagnosis in 2016. A deputy headmaster, she started a blog, before writing for the Sun and becoming a BBC broadcaster. But on 9 May she announced that she was no longer receiving active care and did not know how long she had left.
In May, she was given a damehood by Prince William at her parents’ home in Woking, Surrey, where she had chosen to stay. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge – who donated to the research fund – praised her “tireless efforts” and thanked her for “giving hope” to those living with the disease.
