LADY Deborah James has been an inspiration to millions of people.
The 40-year-old wasn’t shy when it came to breaking the poo boo and it’s a lesson we should all take with us.
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Sun author Debs was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2016 and her family announced her death this week, a month after she was transferred to palliative care.
If colon cancer is caught early, most patients undergo surgery and can avoid aggressive forms of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
The mother of two was passionate about raising awareness about the signs and symptoms of colon cancer and wanted people to understand that they are ‘never too young’.
Debs previously said she had once viewed colon cancer as an “old man’s disease.”
“Actually, I’ve unfortunately met so many young people. It’s one of the biggest emerging cancers in people under 50, it’s actually quite shocking — it’s the last thing I thought it would be,” she said.
Deborah played a vital role in changing the way people think about cancer, and she wanted everyone to know the most important body checks that could save your life.
Check your poo
Whether it was her stuff in a poo-emoji costume, or taking to Instagram to help people understand – Deborah was eager to talk about what’s in your toilet gut.
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When her family announced her death on Tuesday evening. They included a note from Deborah, part of which read, “Check your poo – it could save your life.”
Deborah previously shared her own toileting habits as well: “I started going to the poop eight times a day — we have to say that — and I used to be kind of a girl once a day.”
Anything that isn’t normal for you, whether going to the bathroom more often, not going at all, or loose stools – if you notice any abnormalities, get them checked out.
never too young
Deborah was just 35 years old when she was diagnosed.
Bowel cancer screening in the UK is offered to people over 50.
Debs, along with The Sun’s “No Time 2 Lose” campaign, helped lower the screening age — which was previously for people 60 and older.
feeling tired
This is another major sign of colon cancer, one that Deborah has experienced herself.
She previously said, “I started to get really tired and I remember drinking a lot of cups of coffee to keep myself awake.”
Is this normal
Many people can sometimes miss cancer symptoms because they can be confused with being exhausted.
As a busy mother of two, this had been the same for Deborah, attributing her new symptoms to her lifestyle.
She said, “I was very tired, but I was a working mother of two. I was a deputy head teacher, so I attributed it to being very busy.”
sore belly
A lump or pain in your abdomen is another sign of colon cancer.
In many cases, it may not be anything to worry about, but a new lump or one that has changed certainly warrants a trip to the doctor’s office.
weight loss
Unexplained weight loss is another major sign of cancer, something that Deborah also experienced.
“Then I started losing a lot of weight and got blood in my poo.”
It was the combination of these changes, Deborah said, that led her to have a “gut instinct that something wasn’t right.”
lasting legacy
Deborah who has been so vocal about the signs of cancer has helped those struggling with symptoms come forward and get treatment.
One woman told how her daughter would have been without a mother had it not been for the tireless campaigner.
Teresa believes she wouldn’t be alive today if she hadn’t seen Deborah on Lorraine Kelly’s TV show.
She said, “I had symptoms 12 months before I was diagnosed, but thought it was irritable bowel syndrome or stress.”
Receptionist Gemma Crossley also said she owes her life to BowelBabe, but feels guilty that she is still alive to watch her children grow up when she doesn’t want to.
“I had spent years with bowel problems but never thought it was cancer.”
She then saw a message from Debs and recalled: “It was a real red flag for me.
“I went to the doctor who found a lump and some blood.”
Patricia Lever, an employee of real estate company Patricia Lever, was told many times that her bowel problems were nothing to worry about, but Deborah inspired her to keep trying.
Patricia, 58, said: “I was always sent home with cream or told it was IBS or health anxiety.
“My daughter called me one day in early 2021 and told me that a woman named Deborah James was in Lorraine and I needed to tune in.
“I was fobbed off, but because of Deborah and what I saw on TV, I knew I needed some answers.”