Heather James posted a tribute to her daughter, Dame Deborah James, on the three year anniversary of her passing on Saturday.
Deborah James was a journalist and cancer campaigner who died at the age of 40 on June 28, 2022 after launching and leading a phenomenal campaign to raise money for bowel cancer treatment.
The campaigner also hosted the podcast You, Me and the Big C and shared her health journey online under the name Bowelbabe.
After being diagnosed with bowel cancer when she was 35 years old in 2016, Deborah became a viral sensation for her social media content which showed her dancing her way through chemotherapy and living with ‘rebellious hope’.
On Saturday, Heather remembered her daughter in a touching tribute post which included pictures of Deborah enjoying previous Wimbledon‘s with her parents.
Beginning the tribute post, the mother wrote: ‘It’s hard to believe it’s been 3 years today when we held Deborah’s hand as she took her last breath.
‘We think of you every day, remembering your enthusiasm, joy of life, wicked sense of humour, love of the family and of course that smile!’
Relating her heartfelt message back to the pictures she had chosen, Heather reflected on Deborah’s love of ‘English summer.’
Dame Deborah James’s mother paid tribute to her late daughter on the third anniversary of her passing from bowel cancer with a touching Instagram post on Saturday
Heather James reflected on her daughter’s love for ‘English summer,’ especially Wimbledon
Heather continued: ‘You loved the English summer and everything that was part of it.
‘Wimbledon was one of your favourite events from a young teenager when with your ground pass you would try to sneak into as many courts as you could!
‘Alistair and I will be there this year remembering our last visits 4 years ago with Deborah. It is especially poignant as we were watching Wimbledon with her in the hours before her death at home and those last moments will always be a special part of our lives.’
The first picture of the tribute post showed Deborah in an off-the-shoulder, frilly white bandeau top paired with a polka dot, navy blue and white maxi skirt.
She seemed to be posing on a balcony with a wooden fence that overlooked a gorgeous leafy setting.
In the second image Deborah was pictured with her mum at Wimbledon in a blue and white pinstriped blazer layered over a matching striped shirt and tight white trousers.
In the post Heather was also pictured with her father, Alistair, enjoying a Pimms at the tennis tournament
Bowel cancer can cause you to have blood in your stools, a change in bowel habit, a lump inside your bowel which can cause an obstructions
In the image it is clear to see how much the Deborah enjoyed the summer festivity as she beamed from ear to ear stood next to her mother while holding a hot drink.
The final image of the tribute post showed Deborah with her father, a financer and now a cancer campaigner himself, enjoying a different day of the tennis tournament.
In the snap the father daughter duo look smart in summery outfits while sipping on what looks to be glasses of Pimms.
With her father the cancer campaigner is seen wearing a bright red polka dot, halter neck dress paired with a wide brimmed cream and black Panama hat.
As per Heather’s post, the images come from the family’s last outing to Wimbledon together, one year before Deborah’s passing.
The mother’s post then turned to remembering her daughter’s work as a campaigner for other cancer sufferers and how her legacy has continued.
Heather wrote: ‘Whilst remembering Deborah on this anniversary we continue to be proud and humbled by the impact she is still having on so many.
Heather who is a gymnastics coach, was a strong support for her daughter as she battled bowel cancer
Deborah James was a journalist and campaigner who hosted the podcast You, Me and the Big C and spoke about her cancer journey online under the name Bowelbabe
We thank you all for your incredible support for her legacy, The Bowelbabe Fund, which has now raised £18m which through Cancer Research UK and the projects we fund give more people more time with their loved ones and continues to break down the taboo around poo!’
Last year on the How To Be 60 podcast on Friday, the mother of the late journalist admitted that she hadn’t known much about the symptoms of bowel cancer
Speaking to podcast host, Kaye Adams, she said: ‘I knew nothing about bowel cancer at all, my sister died of breast cancer so I knew breast cancer, if you go out for a drink with the ladies you would talk about breast cancer, would you talk about your poo? No.
‘She didn’t know, I didn’t know, when she kept saying “mum I’ve been to poo eight times today” and I told her to go to the doctors and she said “I have and it’s ok” I thought that was fine.
‘I didn’t know what all the symptoms were, they are similar to irritable bowel syndrome.
‘It wasn’t picked up with a very young person because it’s not something a 35 year old fit vegetarian fitted the program for so she wasn’t checked for it.’
Heather’s post concluded with: ‘Deborah we love and miss you so much as we learn to navigate life without you. Love you forever. Mum & Dad xx’
