As a terminally ill presenter, she managed to raise millions against cancer

BBC News Brazil

A new UK cancer research fund set up by a terminally ill BBC podcast presenter has raised over £3m in donations.

The Bowelbabe fund was launched on Monday (9) after Deborah James announced that she is receiving palliative care for her bowel cancer, with the aim of easing her pain at the end of her life.

James was diagnosed in 2016 and on her BBC podcast “You, Me and the Big C” she addressed the condition.

Prince William and his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, Catherine (Kate), are among the donors. “Thank you for giving hope to so many living with cancer,” William and Kate wrote in a Twitter message.

The couple said the presenter’s “tireless efforts” to raise awareness about cancer are “inspiring”.

“Every now and then someone captures the nation’s heart with their zest for life and tenacious desire to give back to society. Bowelbabe is one of those special people,” they wrote, referring to Deborah James’ Instagram account.

The 40-year-old presenter, who is a mother of two, launched the fund to support research into personalized medicine for cancer patients and bowel cancer awareness campaigns.

The fund was named Bowelbabe in honor of his Instagram account. The organization will work in partnership with the charities Cancer Research UK, Bowel Cancer UK and Royal Marsden. Prince William is a patron of the Royal Marsden, a cancer hospital in London, where the presenter received treatment.

Thousands of donations have been made after she revealed she is at the end of her life, surpassing £1 million in less than 24 hours. The total amount raised, 3 million pounds, is twelve times more than its initial target of 250 thousand (R$ 1.5 million).

In an interview with the BBC on Wednesday, James said the news made her feel “completely loved”, adding: “It makes me feel like we’re all together in the end and we all want to make a difference.”

She also said her last wish was to raise money for the “things that gave me life”, explaining that if it weren’t for the experimental treatments, she would have died at least two years ago. “Ultimately, what I want is for no other Deborah to go through this,” she said.

James began co-hosting You, Me and the Big C. alongside Lauren Mahon and Rachael Bland in 2018, with the show receiving praise for its candid discussion of cancer.

They chatted with celebrity guests and covered practical topics including hair loss, tips for dealing with money and treatment costs, and how to break the news to close friends and family.

Bland died at age 40 — six months after the show’s launch. She had been diagnosed with breast cancer two years earlier.

In his final episode of the podcast, released on Tuesday, James said his liver has stopped working for the past six months and doctors have advised that further treatment would be “fruitless” because his “body can’t take it anymore”.

Asked what the podcast meant to her, James said the show gave her life purpose after being diagnosed. According to her, the show made her realize the influence she could have “by saving another life or making someone not feel alone”.

“Yes, I would give up my cancer in a second just to have a normal life again. But being able to do that [ajudar as pessoas] and feeling like you’ve had an impact is one of the best feelings you can have.”

After thanking listeners for their support over the years, she said, “Please, please, just enjoy life because it’s too precious. All I want now is more time and more life.”

She, who was diagnosed with bowel cancer, ended her latest show with the warning she always gives: “Check your poop” for signs of the disease.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF INTESTINE CANCER?

> Persistent change in bowel habits—more frequent bathroom visits, looser stools, and stomach pain
> Blood in the stool with no other symptoms
> Abdominal pain, discomfort or bloating caused by eating

Source: NHS