Deborah James’ mother Heather reveals the life advice the bowel cancer campaigner gave her two children before her death

Dame Deborah James’ mother has revealed the heartbreaking life advice the bowel cancer campaigner gave to her children shortly before her death.

The mother of two passed away in June 2022 at the age of 40 after a five-year battle with colon cancer.

To commemorate Mother’s Day, Heather James, 66, reflected on her daughter’s final weeks and how she prepared her children for life without her.

Speak with The sunthe Woking gymnastics coach explained how Deborah had a moving conversation with Hugo and Eloise days before her tragic death.

Heather said: ‘The weekend before she died, she told them to live a life worth living.’

“You never know when life will be taken from you, so take every moment and live,” she said. I try to follow that mantra too.’

Elsewhere in the interview, Heather said Deborah encouraged her to break the habit of “saving the best things for holidays and holidays.”

She added, “Deborah would tell me! She was the opposite: she wore her favorite dresses just because.

“I’ve been trying to channel that bold, bright outlook since she died.”

Yesterday, Heather James shared a Mother’s Day tribute to her daughter with her 106,000 Instagram followers.

She wrote: ‘Mother’s Day makes you realize how much you enjoyed the wonderful times you had with your children growing up. You think about all the magical moments you spent together and the fun you had.

‘But today is also a time to remember family members who are sadly no longer with us – for me I think of my own mother who died in 2016 at the age of 90 – for her family was at the center of her life and as she grew older , she loved being with her daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren who brought her so much joy and love.

‘Of course this is a time when I remember Deborah and think of the good times she had with her own family and with us, and it makes me realize again how much we all still miss her – today with her own children was always a of her special times.

“My love to all of you on this day and I think especially of those who have lost a mother or child at this time. Xx’

In her latest You, Me and the Big C podcast, released in May 2022, Deborah bid an emotional farewell to her loyal listeners and revealed she had decided to spend her days at her parents’ bungalow in Woking to spend her save children from constant problems. memories in their home in London.

‘It’s the kind of place where, strangely enough, I’ve always wanted to die. I have always had that in mind,” Debora said at the time. ‘I think I always knew I didn’t want to be in my house in London. It doesn’t feel good to me.’

It came after Deborah said she was preparing to ‘surrender to the inevitable’ and was in a hospice at the end of her life, surrounded by her family, in a heartfelt ‘final’ column for The Sun.

The 40-year-old star of the critically acclaimed podcast “You, Me and the Big C” wrote that her body was “emaciated” after a five-year battle with colon cancer.

Her mother Heather was a constant support to the former deputy headteacher turned cancer activist, who was living with stage four bowel cancer after being diagnosed in December 2016.

She was by her side during countless hospital stays, participated in Deborah’s viral “chemo dances,” in which the pair shook a leg to help the host through another cycle of chemotherapy, and cared for her grandchildren “at a moment’s notice.” ‘.

Five months after Deborah’s death, her daughter Eloise modeled a limited edition Christmas jumper to raise money for her BowelBabe charity.

Eloise wore a white jumper with the words ‘Rebellious Hope’ and holly on the lettering as part of their family’s festive fundraising campaign.

Deborah launched ‘Rebellious Hope’ T-shirts earlier this year to raise money for her BowelBabe fund and her family have continued fundraising in her memory.

Deborah’s ‘Rebellious Hope’ T-shirts have already raised more than £1.68 million for the fund and her family said they hope the new jumpers can carry Deborah’s ‘light and magic’.

In April last year, Deborah’s husband, Sebastien Bowen, said their children were still clinging to the mantra of “rebellious hope.”

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, the widower revealed that his wife had died ‘peacefully’ and was surrounded by her family in June 2022 aged 40.

Sebastian recalled telling his children on the day of the funeral, “If we can get through this together, I think we can do anything,” Sebastian said the message has remained true for them.

“I think that kind of sticks with us a little bit… we’re a pretty strong unit, I think,” he added.

Meanwhile, Deborah’s children reflected on their mother’s legacy, which they are still proud of today.

“It’s just amazing to think… first of all, the legacy that it is,” Hugo, 15, told the programme.

And secondly, the amount that could be achieved with this 11 million, I think, is beyond what anyone could achieve at this time.”

Hugo also said that the family still emphasizes the importance of the “rebellious hope” that their mother had always urged in everyone.

“It means that no matter what, there is always something to keep you going,” he added.

Eloise, who wore a dress from Deborah’s InTheStyle collection, designed in the final weeks of her life, also thanked supporters for their “amazing” contribution and opened up about finding joy in her mother’s health journey.

She revealed that she and her mother would “dance every second,” especially when Deborah was having a bad day after chemotherapy.

“It was good to have help with things because you didn’t think about it, you just danced,” she explained.