DAME Deborah James’ book reached number one on the UK charts, according to new figures.
The Central Recorder writer, in her final weeks of life, had published “How to Live When You Could be Dead” during her last weeks.
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The book sold 40 878 copies after its release on Thursday, according to Nielsen BookScan’s Total Consumer Market.
It is also the best-selling nonfiction debut book of 2022.
Bowel cancer campaigner Debs had been living at her parents’ house in Woking, Surrey in the weeks leading up to her death on June 28.
Debs began to write the last chapters together with Sebastien Bowen after she told her husband she was moving to end of life care.
Heather, Heather’s mum, recently appeared on Lorraine to discuss her daughter’s book.
The mother-of-two, who was filmed just before Deborah’s passing, encouraged people to take those small moments ‘whenever they see them’ in a promotional video.
The video continues to show Debs and her daughter Eloise dancing.
Debs says, “Savor the good times in any way that you can.”
“You may find yourself on a pathway that you didn’t want to go down, but sometimes it’s ok to adjust your expectations and keep walking to those dreams anyway.”
Debs then walks through a garden picking flowers before she issues her last note.
“But if you’re having a bad day today, remember tomorrow might just be that good day that you need”She replied,
Sam Jackson, Vermilion books’ editorial director, said, “I am so happy that How To Live When You Might Be Dead has become number one in nonfiction sales.”
Deborah always wanted to write a big bestseller in self-help, and it was a dream come true. It’s been an honor to help make this happen.
“This is by far my proudest publishing moment and I am delighted that Deborah’s inspiring and transformative perspective will help so many people.”
Heather explained that it took her two years to complete the book and said that the last two chapters were difficult for her to understand.
She stated that the “last two chapters” were completed at her house in the final weeks of her life.
She didn’t expect it to be the end she was looking for when she began the book two-years ago, but she didn’t know how much she would have to wait.
“But she had two years which were amazing. I’ve read the last chapters now and they are very emotional.”
Bowel cancer symptoms to discuss with your GP:
The following are five warning signs of bowel cancer:
- Bleeding in the back passage or bloody poo
- You may want to change your toilet habits. For example, you might go more often.
- A lump or pain in your stomach
- Extreme tiredness
- Losing weight
Bowel tumors are known to bleed and can cause anemia (a shortage of red blood cell). It can lead to tiredness, and even breathlessness.
Sometimes, bowel cancer can lead to bowel obstruction.
You may also notice the following signs and symptoms of bowel cancer:
- Feelings of pain in the abdomen
- Feeling bloated
- Wind-related symptoms include constipation and inability to pass wind.
- Being sick
- Feeling like you have to strain, like doing a number 2, but after you’ve gone to the loo
Debs, known as BowelBabe to her legions of Instagram fans, was diagnosed with incurable bowel cancer just days before Christmas in 2016, at the age of 35.
After learning in May that she would receive end-of-life hospice care, she began fundraising in earnest – with the total now topping an astonishing £7.4million.
Despite being told she had an eight per cent chance of living five years, Deborah defied the odds stacked against her.
A few months after celebrating her 40th birthday in October, a day she never imagined she would live to experience, the brave campaigner celebrated the five-year anniversary.
Deborah shared every step of her journey with Sun readers in her column Things Cancer Made Me Say and her army of loyal social media followers.
She then presented the BBC Podcast, which was awarded.You, Me, and the Big Cwith fellow cancer patients Rachael Bland, who passed away in September 2018, Lauren Mahon and Rachael’s husband Steve.
Deborah’s diagnosis of bowel cancer in 2005 was a turning point in the public conversation about the disease. She raised vital awareness and broke down taboos.