Dame Deborah James aka Bowelbabe, the cancer campaigner and podcast host died in June aged 40, six years after being diagnosed with bowel cancer.

Dame Deborah started You, Me and the Big C in 2018 with fellow hosts Rachel Bland and Lauren Mahon. The trio, who were all former or current cancer patients, candidly discussed life with, treatment of and other topics relating to cancer.

In a statement posted to Instagram on Tuesday 28 June 2022, her family said: “We are deeply saddened to announce the death of Dame Deborah James; the most amazing wife, daughter, sister, mummy. Deborah passed away peacefully today, surrounded by her family.

“Deborah, who many of you will know as Bowelbabe, was an inspiration and we are incredibly proud of her and her work and commitment to charitable campaigning, fundraising and her endless efforts to raise awareness of cancer that touched so many lives."

James worked in education for 15 years as a deputy head teacher, where she led national research into growth mindset in schools. At the age of 35, life with her young children and husband was thrown upside down when she was diagnosed with stage 4, incurable bowel cancer. She responded by starting a blog, Bowelbabe, which became the award-winning, weekly column in The Sun, Things Cancer Made Me Say. Over the five years that followed, she dedicated herself tirelessly to fundraise, challenge taboos and raise awareness of cancer, cheered on by over 700k followers on Instagram (@bowelbabe), and presented chart-topping podcasts 'You, Me and the Big C' for BBC's Radio 5 Live and 'The Good Stuff', which she hosted with her children. In May 2022, Deborah was personally awarded a damehood by the Duke of Cambridge.

Dame Deborah’s legacy continues to live long into the future through the @bowelbabefund and the publication of her posthumous book today How To Live When You Could Be Dead.

Dame Deborah James (Picture: Instagram)

In How to Live When You Could Be Dead that rebellious hope mindset is explored, harnessing the power of positivity and learning how to value each day as though it could be your last. A beautiful, positivity-filled book that continues Deborah James' fundraising legacy.

To buy the book click here, Ebury, a division of Penguin Random House, will pay £3 from the sale of each copy of How To Live When You Could Be Dead by Deborah James sold in the UK to Bowelbabe Fund for Cancer Research UK.

On LoveReading you get 10% off the RRP and have the option to donate 25% of the cover price to a schoo, of your choice.

To donate to the Bowelbabe Fund for Cancer Research UK, raising money to fund clinical trials and research into personalised medicine for cancer patients & supporting campaigns to raise awareness of bowel cancer, click here

If you'd like some more reading material, take a look at our Collection: Books to Help Support People with Cancer and Their Loved Ones