Britain’s Deborah James, ‘unwaveringly courageous’ presenter of cancer podcast, dies

Deborah James, presenter of a podcast dedicated to cancer, died on Tuesday June 29 after raising millions of pounds for cancer research in a campaign that went viral, her family announced, welcoming “his endless efforts to raise awareness” to disease.

Deborah James, 40, known as Bowelbabe on Instagram, where she was followed by a million subscribers, announced in mid-May that she was in palliative care. For months, she had been telling on the social network her daily fight against terminal cancer of the intestines.

Her family wrote on Instagram on Tuesday evening that she had passed away. “peacefully” during the day :

“Deborah has been an inspiration and we are immensely proud of her, her work and her activism to raise funds and her endless efforts to raise awareness about cancer. »

A few days after announcing that she was in palliative care, she had received the honorary title of lady, awarded after approval by Queen Elizabeth II, for her “tireless campaign” against disease. Prince William had gone to her home to hand her her medal.

A screenshot of Deborah James' Instagram account, showing an image taken during Prince Williams' visit.

7 million pounds in a few weeks

Mother of a 14-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl, she had set herself the goal of raising 250,000 pounds (289,509 euros) before she died and had collected nearly 7 million in a few weeks, during of a campaign that has gone viral on social networks.

Since her diagnosis, established in 2016, Deborah James, a former deputy head teacher, had notably made a name for herself by co-presenting the BBC podcast “You, Me and the Big C” (“You, me and cancer”) , a very popular show in the UK. She also wrote a book about her illness.

His death provoked emotional reactions on social networks, Internet users hailing his ” determination “ and “incredible legacy” that she left.

“I am terribly saddened to learn of the death of Dame Deborah James. What an inspiration she has been to so many people!reacted the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, on Twitter. Thanks to her, many lives will be saved. »

“Deborah was an inspirational woman of unwavering courage whose legacy will live on”, reacted Prince William and his wife, Kate.

Read also: Article reserved for our subscribers Deborah James’ courage in the face of illness moves the British

The World with AFP

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