Heather James recalled one of their last late-night conversations about a week before the mother-of-two died aged 40 after a five-year battle with bowel cancer. In the first interview since her daughter’s death, Ms James explained how they expressed their love for each other when Deborah said: “I have no regrets, you know.” Her mother added: ‘How many people can say that? But he said, ‘I don’t want to die,’ and that’s the hardest, saddest part.” The fundraiser and podcast presenter has raised over seven million pounds for charity and is survived by her husband Sebastien and two children, Hugo, 14, and Eloise, 12. Her mother, who became Deborah’s main carer, told BBC Breakfast: ‘They gave us three to five days. Deborah lived eight weeks. Those eight weeks were probably in some ways the best eight weeks we’ve had as a family. Even if he died at the end of it.’ Deborah James’ mother Heather (left) revealed how Bowelbabe campaigner (right) told her she ‘didn’t want to die’ just days before her death Her mother added that her daughter’s inspiring final weeks were in some ways “the best” the family had shared Referring to her daughter’s children, Heather said: “They’ve been amazing. I think Deborah instilled in them to enjoy their lives. “And even though they miss him and miss him. They live it because that’s what the mummy wanted. The legacy she left behind will also be amazing and it’s something we’re also proud of as a family.” She also told her children to “take risks and live life now” and marry for love in a heartbreaking final letter. “Take the chance and come back. Remember to be your own number one cheerleader,’ she told them in an extract from her book seen by the Sun, due out on August 18. “Don’t leave the world and all it has to offer until retirement — live it now.” Heather, whose Instagram handle is Bowelgran, added: “I think the hardest thing was knowing he was going to die. “The pain in my heart was that as a mother I couldn’t do anything about it and I think that was the hardest thing for me. “Knowing she was getting weaker but mentally stronger but physically weaker and I couldn’t help her. “We had good times. I can remember lying in bed probably about a week or so before she died. And it was very bad that night. And she said “I love you” and I said “I love you” and she said “I have no regrets, you know.” “How many people can say that? But he said ‘I don’t want to die’ and that’s the hardest, saddest part.” Dame Deborah, also known as the Bowel Babe of social media, raised awareness of the disease until her death on June 28, aged 40. Deborah knew she would marry her husband after their third date, she said, telling her children that she adored Sebastien from the day they first met. And Heather paid tribute to the BBC You, Me And The Big C podcast presenter who raised almost £7 million for cancer research, which has grown even more since her death. He added: “I still find it amazing that he had the love of people out there. And that meant a lot. That meant a lot to the family and still does.’ Deborah is pictured in hospital in her final hours smiling and giving a thumbs up in a final goodbye from the hospital, keeping her positive spirit to the end She said she would not have been able to “cope” without the support given to her daughter’s work, which has included launching a clothing line with In The Style and completing her second book, How To Live When You Could Bead , which is circulating. on August 18. “How can you not like what he’s done these eight weeks. And it helped to know that other people loved her and wanted to help in any way they could. “I told her, ‘I don’t know what I’m going to do when you’re gone.’ And he went. “You will go on and enjoy life.” “And I said, ‘But I don’t know if I can.’ And he said: “Then you did not justify me.” So I think everyone should. Don’t just live life, enjoy life. And live it as best we can. So I think we owe it to Deborah.’ It became a hit, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson saying: “If ever an honor was richly deserved, this is it.” Dame Deborah later said she felt “honoured and shocked” to be considered for the honour. Dame Deborah was personally given the gift by the Duke of Cambridge in May during a surprise visit to her parents’ home. Heather said of William: “He put us so much at ease when he came in. You know, it was amazing. And he was like one of my groomsmen, he just sat down with us. He was so great, I think he’s the people’s king.” Dame Deborah James told her children to “take a chance and come back to themselves” and urged them to experience life now instead of waiting until they’re older, in a final piece of advice penned in forthcoming book How To Live When You Could Be. Dead Since Bowel Babe’s amazing campaign, which inspired a nation with her podcast chronicling her struggles with the disease, 30,000 more people went for referrals between May and July 2021. According to the NHS, between the months of May and July, 170,500 people were referred for checks for suspected lower gastrointestinal cancers, which is also almost 80,000 higher than the same period two years ago. The figures also showed bowel cancer referrals hit an all-time high in the second week of July, shortly after Dame Deborah’s death, up 60% on pre-pandemic levels. The last three months also saw almost 200,000 more visitors to the NHS website to check symptoms of the disease. She had raised awareness about the disease until her death on June 28. Genevieve Edwards, chief executive of Bowel Cancer UK, told BBC Breakfast: “From the moment Deborah was diagnosed until the end of her life, she campaigned tirelessly. “She was an amazing activist and you can just see the impact she had there with people coming forward. “And if those thousands of people who have come forward, the majority of them probably won’t have bowel cancer, but for those who do, this is a lifesaver. “I’ve spoken to so many people with bowel cancer who felt they had the confidence to go and tell their own story now because Deborah did. “You know, he communicated so well and connected and they felt like they were able to go. “So it’s all these little conversations, like ripples in a pond, that will go on, and that’s really important because bowel cancer is not easy to talk about.” According to the NHS, between the months of May and July, 170,500 people were referred for checks for suspected lower gastrointestinal cancers Her husband Sebastien Bowen (pictured in 2019) spoke of the difficulties of the last few months he spent with the former deputy director, whom he married in France in 2008 Her husband Sebastien Bowen spoke earlier this month about the difficulties of the past few months with the former deputy director, whom she married in France in 2008. Mr Bowen told The Times: “He made the most of every last moment. But she was. This is how I will always remember Deborah – the ability in the worst moments to embrace life. “More than anyone I know he loved life, even more when it was so short and every minute counted.” He continued: “She was so weak that she couldn’t do much on her own, which she found frustrating as she was fiercely independent by nature. “She was paralyzed from the waist down at the end 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 herself or dress herself. “I won’t 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.’
