Deborah James' mother Heather reveals she's 'dreading' the second anniversary of the bowel cancer campaigner's death because it brings back memories of all their 'lasts' together

Heather, 66, and Alistair James, 68, reflected on their daughter's final weeksRead More: Deb James' dad says she would want him to 'knock heads together'

Dame Deborah James' mother has revealed she is 'dreading' the second anniversary of the bowel cancer campaigner's death.

The mother-of-two passed away at the age of 40 in June 2022 following a five-year battle with bowel cancer, and used her diagnosis to raise awareness of the disease and set up the Bowelbabe Fund for Cancer Research UK, which has raised more than £12 million.

To celebrate their daughter's legacy, Heather, 66, and her husband Alistair James, 68, reflected on her final weeks on today's Loose Women.

Heather opened up about how hard Deborah's anniversaries are becoming, saying she is getting flashbacks to all the last moments they shared in the final seven weeks leading up to her passing.

She said: 'Anniversaries are hard, this one I was dreading. It would of been Friday next week that she would of died and the lead up to it, seven weeks lead up, from she came home, we had great times, but I also have flashbacks of the last time we did this and the last time we did that. '

Dame Deborah James ' mother Heather (pictured) has revealed she is 'dreading' the bowel cancer campaigners second anniversary since her death

Alistair added: 'This time of year she really enjoyed. She loved her tennis, going to Ascot, she loved dressing up, all these dates happen on the lead up to the period of her death.'

They remembered it took them four hours to get her ready for her last visit to Ascot in 2022, saying she was 'determined' to go but she was in 'a lot of pain.'

Heather said: 'Two nights before she had ordered new shoes online but because she had swollen feet she ordered three sizes bigger, of course they came but they were so long not wider.

'She said ''I look ridiculous but I do love them, and I know what you are going to say, I'm not going to be here to wear them'', but her brother went back to London, got the next size down and she wore them, she loved those shoes.

'She wore them in her wheelchair, but of course she snuck the handbag to match as well.'

Heather wore her daughters earrings on the show because Deborah also said to her she should 'make a statement' with her jewelry.

She said: 'So, I do have her big earrings but Eloise [Deborah's daughter] will eventually have them all.'

Speaking about Deborah's legacy, Alistar said his daughters 'huge smile' broke down barriers and got the message across to know your own body.

The mother-of-two (left) passed away at the age of 40 in June 2022 following a five-year battle with bowel cancer, she used her diagnosis to raise awareness of the disease and set up the Bowelbabe Fund for Cancer Research UK, which has raised more than £12 million

To celebrate their daughters legacy, Heather, 66, and Alistair James, 68, reflected on their daughter's final weeks on Loose Women on Monday

Heather opened up about how hard Deborah's anniversaries are becoming, saying she is getting flashbacks to all the last moments they shared in the final seven weeks leading up to her passing

He added: 'She was an ordinary person, but she was a teacher and like a lot of great teachers she was able to talk and communicate, she used that skill.'

Heather added: 'And the awareness, her legacy was the awareness and if we can keep that going, I think that is what Deborah is saying to me and us as a family to keep going.

'I believe Deborah was given to us and she did her time her on Earth and achieved what was meant to be, so I accept that but I do also believe that she loved life so much that we have to honour that and love life as well.'

It comes after Alistar said his daughter would tell him to 'knock some heads together' as her family urge all UK political parties to commit to a long-term cancer strategy.

Deborah's family have now written an open letter urging all UK political parties to commit to a strategy 'to give more people affected by cancer more time with the people they love'.

Her father Alistair James told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I think this current strategy of early diagnosis saves lives and Deborah would be saying "Dad, it makes common sense. Just knock some heads together and see if we get everybody following it and working for it".'

Dame Deborah James attended Royal Ascot 2022 at Ascot Racecourse on June 15

Speaking about Deborah's legacy, Alistar said his daughters 'huge smile' broke down barriers and got the message across to know your own body

Deborah was released from hospital to go home to her family for her final seven weeks before her passing

In a letter published in The Sun newspaper, Dame Deborah's husband Sebastien Bowen, her parents Alistair and Heather James and her siblings Ben James and Sarah Wieczorek said they are joining Cancer Research UK in its Longer, Better Lives manifesto.

The manifesto calls for the Government to publish a long-term cancer strategy within one year of the general election, to 'drive earlier diagnosis and reduce inequalities in access to treatment and care'.

'That is why we are calling on all political parties to make the upcoming general election a landmark moment by committing to a long-term cancer strategy for England, helping to give more people affected by cancer more time with the people they love,' the letter said.

'Sadly, we are not unique as a family in losing a loved one too soon to cancer.

'Many families across the country feel the same heartbreak every day. But it does not have to be this way.

'People affected by cancer must be at the heart of this general election.'

Mr James told Today the family promised Dame Deborah they would continue to campaign after her death.

He said: 'Her campaigning, her enthusiasm was so important in getting a message across.

'And one of the things in her final days, a promise we made as a family to continue her legacy, which was both fundraising and the legacy and spreading the word.

'We knew we will be carrying on with this, it's important that it continues. And Deborah provided us a platform and a voice. It's important we continue to use that.

'We're talking about our eldest child, which brings back many painful memories, but also many happy memories. And the thing is, we're quite fortunate, Deborah might have died, but she lives in so many people's thoughts and ideas, and we're allowed to talk about it and share her. So I think we do get a benefit from it, as well as other people.'

He added: 'In the early stages, we knew little about bowel cancer. We knew little about even what was causing it.

'Deborah was 35, she was fit, she was a vegetarian, I would be the person you'd expect to get bowel cancer, not her.

'It was so sad that her diagnosis was really towards the end of stage three when we found out about it.

Read More

Dame Deborah James' mother reveals she 'took her daughter with her' to her son Benjamin's recent wedding during Lorraine appearance

'And we all know early diagnosis, stage one and two, you've got nine out of 10 chances to live.

'Sadly, stage three and four, that's down to one out of 10 to live for five years.'

In the letter, Dame Deborah's family described the You, Me And The Big C podcast host as having 'smashed stigmas around cancer' as well as being a 'passionate advocate of the importance of early diagnosis'.

'Diagnosing cancer at an earlier stage saves lives,' the family added.

They said the strategy should include increases in the NHS cancer workforce and investment in 'vital diagnosis equipment to ensure everyone who needs it can access the right test, in the right place, at the right time'.

It comes weeks after analysis by the Bowelbabe Fund for Cancer Research UK suggested that cases of bowel cancer are set to rise significantly by 2040.

Bowel cancer cases will rise from the 42,800 currently diagnosed cases each year to 47,700 due to a growing and ageing population, according to the analysis.