logo
Spreading awareness is Dame Deborah's ‘legacy', says her mother

Spreading awareness is Dame Deborah's ‘legacy', says her mother

Heather James said her daughter was a 'force of nature' and praised her efforts in spreading awareness of bowel cancer and its symptoms, particularly among young people.
'It does affect young people as we know,' Mrs James said.
Dame Deborah died of bowel cancer aged 40 in 2022.
April is #BowelCancerAwarenessMonth – here are the most common symptoms of bowel cancer 👇
It's important to know what's normal for your body. Talk to your GP if you notice anything unusual for you, or any changes that don't go away.
Share this to help us raise awareness 🔁
— Cancer Research UK (@CR_UK) April 1, 2025
Earlier this month, her daughter Eloise followed in her mother's footsteps by raising awareness of bowel cancer through a new campaign.
'If we can get teenagers talking about their poo, that's an amazing legacy Deborah has left,' Mrs James added.
On Wednesday, the King repeated some of Dame Deborah's final words at a reception at Buckingham Palace.
Charles hailed the late Dame Deborah as an inspiration, quoting her final message and encouraging everyone to follow her example: 'Find a life worth enjoying; take risks; love deeply; have no regrets; and always, always have rebellious hope.'
Alistair and Heather James met the King at a reception at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday (Andrew Matthews/PA)
Her father Alistair James told BBC Breakfast: 'It just brought back so many memories – we remember those words being written with her in her last few days at home.'
Mrs James added: 'It was wonderful to hear the King actually quoting Deborah's words, it was such an honour.
'He (said) wished he had met her, she was obviously a force of nature and I said: 'Yes she definitely was'.'
She added: 'It's the club we belong to that no one really wants to belong to – whether you are royalty or not, cancer affects many, many people, it's almost a leveller in one way.'
Mr James said that the pair thanked the King for sharing his own cancer journey.
Today we remember Dame Deborah James and the incredible legacy she left behind a year on from her death 💜 Our thoughts are with her friends and family. pic.twitter.com/jBmFjUUSjP
— Cancer Research UK (@CR_UK) June 28, 2023
Asked about Dame Deborah's legacy, Mr James said: 'We'll just keep going with the rest of the family and Cancer Research UK (CRUK).
'Every decision – of how we're raising money or how we are investing it and spending it – all those final decisions are always made by the family and we all get together as a group, with CRUK.
'And the children understand what's going on as well with it.
'Eloise took part in one of the bowel cancer campaigns this month for the first time and she was very enthusiastic about spreading the word.'
Dame Deborah's Bowelbabe fund has raised more than £16 million since it was launched.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Retired banker reaches Scotland after running 50 marathons along the coast
Retired banker reaches Scotland after running 50 marathons along the coast

North Wales Chronicle

time9 hours ago

  • North Wales Chronicle

Retired banker reaches Scotland after running 50 marathons along the coast

Reaching the border marks the quarter-point of his goal to run 200 marathons in 200 days, while researchers at the University of Exeter monitor the impact on his body. Steve James, 65, set off from Topsham, Devon on April 16 and will end his feat there after running anticlockwise around the coast for seven months. He currently runs for around six hours each day, occasionally staying with his wife in their camper van or in a variety of accommodations. Mr James, who lives and trains on Dartmoor, is being supported during his challenge by his wife and their five children. 'I'm so proud to have made it to over 50 days. I've made it all the way from Exeter along the coast to the Scottish border, a total of 1,380 miles,' he said. 'There have been a few bumps along the way, but I've overcome them all and am that much stronger because of it and ready to take on the next stage. 'I'm really looking forward to the many facets of the Scottish coastline and meeting the people of this beautiful country.' Mr James has already faced his share of hardships on his journey, running through harsh weather conditions, closed footpaths, severely blistered feet and a gout flareup resulting in a trip to A&E. The Exeter research team assessed him before his departure and continues to monitor him throughout this challenge, while he captures his own measurements daily for them to analyse. They are studying his calorie intake, blood, oxygen and muscle measurements to examine the effect of such an extreme sport on the body. Mr James said: 'By the end of this challenge, the scientists will have more insight into how far a 65-year-old person can push their body. 'Of all the challenges I've done, this is the most extreme and the biggest stretch.' At this stage, the team has seen no adverse effects of this high-endurance challenge in the blood samples, which are being used to measure hormone fluctuations, inflammation and overall health. He has lost weight, although this was a likely result that researchers anticipated due to his extreme calorie output. Dr Freyja Haigh, nutritional physiology researcher at the University of Exeter, said: 'We're currently tracking Steve's energy intake and expenditure in order to assess any changes in body mass, which is to be expected with this very physical challenge. 'We're unsure at the moment if Steve's weight loss is from fat or muscle mass. 'I'm hoping to visit him in the near future to take muscle thickness measurements at multiple points on the body to compare with those we took before he left. 'Having reached this point would be an incredible achievement for anyone, but doing it in your 60s is a whole different ballgame. 'What Steve is doing really challenges the stereotypes of ageing and redefines what's possible later in life. 'It's also fascinating in terms of the science – Steve gives us a real insight into how this type of endurance affects the body of an older person. 'It's been such a privilege to work with him so far and I can't wait to see how he gets on in this next stage.' Throughout his life, Mr James has loved physical challenges, from taking part in Ten Tors while at school to cycling around the world in 220 days in 2019. The record for running the British coastline is held by Nick Butter, who completed the feat in 128 days at the age of 31. But Mr James is the first person over 60 to take on the feat.

Retired banker reaches Scotland after running 50 marathons along the coast
Retired banker reaches Scotland after running 50 marathons along the coast

South Wales Guardian

time9 hours ago

  • South Wales Guardian

Retired banker reaches Scotland after running 50 marathons along the coast

Reaching the border marks the quarter-point of his goal to run 200 marathons in 200 days, while researchers at the University of Exeter monitor the impact on his body. Steve James, 65, set off from Topsham, Devon on April 16 and will end his feat there after running anticlockwise around the coast for seven months. He currently runs for around six hours each day, occasionally staying with his wife in their camper van or in a variety of accommodations. Mr James, who lives and trains on Dartmoor, is being supported during his challenge by his wife and their five children. 'I'm so proud to have made it to over 50 days. I've made it all the way from Exeter along the coast to the Scottish border, a total of 1,380 miles,' he said. 'There have been a few bumps along the way, but I've overcome them all and am that much stronger because of it and ready to take on the next stage. 'I'm really looking forward to the many facets of the Scottish coastline and meeting the people of this beautiful country.' Mr James has already faced his share of hardships on his journey, running through harsh weather conditions, closed footpaths, severely blistered feet and a gout flareup resulting in a trip to A&E. The Exeter research team assessed him before his departure and continues to monitor him throughout this challenge, while he captures his own measurements daily for them to analyse. They are studying his calorie intake, blood, oxygen and muscle measurements to examine the effect of such an extreme sport on the body. Mr James said: 'By the end of this challenge, the scientists will have more insight into how far a 65-year-old person can push their body. 'Of all the challenges I've done, this is the most extreme and the biggest stretch.' At this stage, the team has seen no adverse effects of this high-endurance challenge in the blood samples, which are being used to measure hormone fluctuations, inflammation and overall health. He has lost weight, although this was a likely result that researchers anticipated due to his extreme calorie output. Dr Freyja Haigh, nutritional physiology researcher at the University of Exeter, said: 'We're currently tracking Steve's energy intake and expenditure in order to assess any changes in body mass, which is to be expected with this very physical challenge. 'We're unsure at the moment if Steve's weight loss is from fat or muscle mass. 'I'm hoping to visit him in the near future to take muscle thickness measurements at multiple points on the body to compare with those we took before he left. 'Having reached this point would be an incredible achievement for anyone, but doing it in your 60s is a whole different ballgame. 'What Steve is doing really challenges the stereotypes of ageing and redefines what's possible later in life. 'It's also fascinating in terms of the science – Steve gives us a real insight into how this type of endurance affects the body of an older person. 'It's been such a privilege to work with him so far and I can't wait to see how he gets on in this next stage.' Throughout his life, Mr James has loved physical challenges, from taking part in Ten Tors while at school to cycling around the world in 220 days in 2019. The record for running the British coastline is held by Nick Butter, who completed the feat in 128 days at the age of 31. But Mr James is the first person over 60 to take on the feat.

Retired banker reaches Scotland after running 50 marathons along the coast
Retired banker reaches Scotland after running 50 marathons along the coast

Powys County Times

time9 hours ago

  • Powys County Times

Retired banker reaches Scotland after running 50 marathons along the coast

A retired banker who is striving to become the first man over the age of 60 to run the entire coastline of mainland Britain has reached Scotland as he completes his 50th consecutive day of running. Reaching the border marks the quarter-point of his goal to run 200 marathons in 200 days, while researchers at the University of Exeter monitor the impact on his body. Steve James, 65, set off from Topsham, Devon on April 16 and will end his feat there after running anticlockwise around the coast for seven months. He currently runs for around six hours each day, occasionally staying with his wife in their camper van or in a variety of accommodations. Mr James, who lives and trains on Dartmoor, is being supported during his challenge by his wife and their five children. 'I'm so proud to have made it to over 50 days. I've made it all the way from Exeter along the coast to the Scottish border, a total of 1,380 miles,' he said. 'There have been a few bumps along the way, but I've overcome them all and am that much stronger because of it and ready to take on the next stage. 'I'm really looking forward to the many facets of the Scottish coastline and meeting the people of this beautiful country.' Mr James has already faced his share of hardships on his journey, running through harsh weather conditions, closed footpaths, severely blistered feet and a gout flareup resulting in a trip to A&E. The Exeter research team assessed him before his departure and continues to monitor him throughout this challenge, while he captures his own measurements daily for them to analyse. They are studying his calorie intake, blood, oxygen and muscle measurements to examine the effect of such an extreme sport on the body. Mr James said: 'By the end of this challenge, the scientists will have more insight into how far a 65-year-old person can push their body. 'Of all the challenges I've done, this is the most extreme and the biggest stretch.' At this stage, the team has seen no adverse effects of this high-endurance challenge in the blood samples, which are being used to measure hormone fluctuations, inflammation and overall health. He has lost weight, although this was a likely result that researchers anticipated due to his extreme calorie output. Dr Freyja Haigh, nutritional physiology researcher at the University of Exeter, said: 'We're currently tracking Steve's energy intake and expenditure in order to assess any changes in body mass, which is to be expected with this very physical challenge. 'We're unsure at the moment if Steve's weight loss is from fat or muscle mass. 'I'm hoping to visit him in the near future to take muscle thickness measurements at multiple points on the body to compare with those we took before he left. 'Having reached this point would be an incredible achievement for anyone, but doing it in your 60s is a whole different ballgame. 'What Steve is doing really challenges the stereotypes of ageing and redefines what's possible later in life. 'It's also fascinating in terms of the science – Steve gives us a real insight into how this type of endurance affects the body of an older person. 'It's been such a privilege to work with him so far and I can't wait to see how he gets on in this next stage.' Throughout his life, Mr James has loved physical challenges, from taking part in Ten Tors while at school to cycling around the world in 220 days in 2019.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store