Record high number of Bowel Cancer Checks ‘thanks to Dame Deborah James’

Health bosses claim that record numbers are now having bowel cancer screenings after the passing of Dame Deborah James.

Dame Deborah, also known as Bowel Babe on social media, was active in raising awareness of the disease up until her death at 40.

The NHS reports that 170,500 people were referred to have their lower stomach cancers checked between May and July.

It’s up by more than 30,000 over the same period in 2021 and almost 80,000 higher that the same period two-years ago.

Dame Deborah James (with her husband Sebastien) during a private tour to the Chelsea Flower Show. (The Harkness Rose Company/PA).PA Media – The Harkness Rose Company

Figures also showed referrals for bowel cancer hit an all-time high in the second week of July, shortly after Dame Deborah’s death, up 60% on pre-pandemic levels.

In the last three months, almost 200,000 people visited the NHS website to check the symptoms of the disease.

Dame Cally Palmer, national cancer director, said: “Thanks to the brave and relentless campaigning of Dame Deborah James, bowel cancer has come to the forefront of a national conversation on catching cancer as early as possible, and the fact that we have seen record numbers of people coming forward for bowel cancer checks shows people are taking the illness seriously and speaking to their GPs about it.

“It is so important that we continue the work of Dame Deborah to raise awareness of bowel cancer and save more lives, so to anyone who has noticed symptoms, please do come forward.”

Bowel Cancer UK’s chief executive Genevieve Edwards said: “People visiting bowelcanceruk.org.uk has never been higher, with tens of thousands more people seeking information about the symptoms of the disease since Dame Deborah James’ tragic death.

“There was also a spike in people affected by bowel cancer posting on our forum, contacting our Ask the Nurse service and we know that people have visited their GP as a result of hearing her story.”

In early May, Dame Deborah revealed she had stopped active treatment and was receiving end-of-life care at her parents’ home in Woking, Surrey, with her husband and their two children on hand.

The podcaster was diagnosed in 2016 after which she kept her one million Instagram followers informed about her treatments.

She won praise from both the media and the public for her candid posts about her treatment and progress, as well as videos of herself dancing through treatment.

Lauren Mahon, Rachael and Rachaelbland were also among her co-founders of the You, Me, And The Big C podcast.

With Prime Minister Boris Johnson praising her, she was made a dame “If ever an honour was richly deserved, this is it.”

She loved life more than anyone I know, and even more when it was so brief and every minute mattered.
Sebastien Bowen

Later, Dame Deborah said that she felt the same way. “honoured and shocked”To be considered to receive the honor.

Sebastien Bowen, her husband, has shared his thoughts about the difficult months he had with the former deputy headteacher. He married Sebastien in France in 2008.

According to Mr Bowen, the Times: “She was making the most of every last moment. But that was her. That is how I will always remember Deborah – the ability in the worst of times to embrace life.

“More than anyone I know she loved life, even more so when it became so short and each minute counted.”

He continued on: “She was so weak she couldn’t do much on her own, which she found frustrating as she was naturally fiercely independent.

“She was paralysed at the end from her waist down and had to deal with the psychological battle of the reality of her new handicap. She couldn’t even go to the kitchen to get food or clean or dress herself.

“I’m not going to pretend it was easy. It was a new experience for all of us and we had to find our feet, but it also brought us closer to her and to each other.”