The Duke and Duchess
of Cambridge have expressed their sorrow following the death
of Bowelbabe campaigner Dame Deborah James.
William and Kate’s statement
was shared on their social media channels and read: “We are so sad to hear
the heartbreaking news about Dame Deborah. Our thoughts are with her children,
her family and her loved ones. Deborah was an inspirational and unfalteringly
brave woman whose legacy will live on. W & C.”
Dame Deborah sadly passed away
aged 40 on Tuesday, with her family confirming the news in a statement that
read: “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,”
the post read.
“Deborah shared her
experience with the world to raise awareness, break down barriers, challenge
taboos and change the conversation around cancer. Even in her most challenging
moments, her determination to raise money and awareness was inspiring.”
“We thank you for giving
us time in private as a family, and we look forward to continuing Deborah’s
legacy long into the future through the @bowelbabefund. Thank you for playing
your part in her journey, you are all incredible,” it continued, alongside
a picture of Deborah in a white dress posing in front of a gorgeous sunset.
“And a few final things
from Deborah… ‘find a life worth enjoying; take risks; love deeply; have no
regrets; and always, always have rebellious hope. And finally, check your poo –
it could just save your life.’ (Shared with Deborah’s permission).”
Her death comes shortly after
William personally presented Deborah with her Damehood on 13 May after it was
revealed he was the driving force behind her receiving the gong. He joined
Deborah and her family for afternoon tea in her garden.
At the time, the author and
You, Me And The Big C podcaster wrote on Instagram: “Prince William
actually came to our family house today!! I am utterly honoured that he joined
us for afternoon tea and champagne, where he not only spent a generous amount
of time talking to my whole family but also honoured me with my Damehood.
“It’s quite surreal
having a royal pop in at home, and yes you can imagine the cleaning antics and
preparation went off the scale – but it was all irrelevant because William was
so kind and he put us all at ease.”
Just days before, Dame Deborah
announced that she was receiving end-of-life care for her bowel cancer and did
not know “how long” she had left. William and Kate reacted to her
heartbreaking announcement by tweeting: “Every now and then, someone
captures the heart of the nation with their zest for life & tenacious
desire to give back to society. @bowelbabe is one of those special people.
“Deborah, our thoughts
are with you, your family and your friends. Thank you for giving hope to so
many who are living with cancer.”
Dame Deborah was diagnosed
with stage 4 bowel cancer in 2016 and kept her followers up to date with her
treatments in candid posts about her progress and diagnosis. She also raised
more than £6.2 million with her Bowelbabe Fund for Cancer Research UK.
It’s understood William and Kate made an anonymous donation to her fund.
