MILLIONS raised by Dame Deborah James before she died will help shed new light on an alarming rise in bowel cancer cases in the under-50s.
The mum-of-two’s Bowelbabe Fund has committed £5million to fund a global study to determine risk factors and understand how diet can help prevent the disease.
Dame Deborah James raised millions of pounds before she died of bowel cancer in 2022, part of which will be used to study rising cases in young peopleStewart Williams
Deborah James when she received her Damehood from Prince William in May 2022, with her husband Sebastien Bowen (left) and children Hugo and EloiseGraham Prentice
Sun columnist Dame Debs was a passionate campaigner and would dress up in the poo emoji to get people talking about bowel cancer symptomsDeborah James
Deborah JamesDeborah was treated for advanced bowel cancer for five-and-a-half years[/caption]
Dame Debs was just 40 years old when she died in June 2022, five-and-a-half years after being diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer.
One of the Sun columnist’s dying wishes was to establish her fund to fuel research into cancer, its causes, treatments and hopefully one day, a cure.
Now, a large chunk of the £12.6million raised so far in her honour, will fund the work of Team PROSPECT at King’s College London, Massachusetts General Hospital and Washington University in St. Louis.
Dame Debs’ parents, Heather and Alistair, told The Sun their daughter would be “over the moon” knowing money she helped raise could one day prevent young people dying of the disease.
They said: “Deborah would have been so proud and thrilled – as are we, as a family.
“Sadly, we know only too well that early-onset bowel cancer is on the rise.
“It was one of Deborah’s final wishes to establish the BBF, to find a way of ensuring in the future there are no more Deborahs.
“To help support some of the finest researchers on a global programme that could lead to a major shift in the identification – and eventually eradication – of this disease represents a perfect way for us as a family to help achieve Deborah’s final hopes and dreams.”
Cases of early-onset bowel cancer have soared 48 per cent in the UK since the 1990s, according to CRUK and every year 2,500 25 to 49-year-olds are told they have the disease.
Bowel cancer is the fourth most common form of the disease in the UK, diagnosed 42,900 times per year, and second highest cause of cancer death (16,800 per year).
Dame Debs, mum to Hugo, 16, and Eloise, 14, was a passionate cancer campaigner from the moment she was diagnosed until taking her last breath.
In her Sun column, You, Me & The Big C podcast and on social media, she urged under-50s to open their eyes to the threat of cancer, pointing out she was proof, “you’re never too young” to be diagnosed.
Team PROSPECT is one of five projects each awarded £20million as part of the Cancer Grand Challenges initiative, co-founded by Cancer Research UK and the National Cancer Institute in the US.
Scientists will examine data from people across the world to look at how risks like obesity and poor diet, as well as environmental and social factors lead to cell changes linked to early-onset bowel cancer.
Professor Tim Spector, who will lead the UK team, said: “We applied because colon cancer, particularly in younger adults, is a growing problem.
“People with rare and early cancers don’t get as much research attention, so this is a key opportunity to better understand the risk factors and how to improve prevention.”
The four other projects receiving Cancer Grand Challenges funding will focus on developing treatments against “undruggable” children’s cancers, address critical cancer inequalities, and training our immune systems to recognise the disease.
Michelle Mitchell, CRUK’s chief executive added: “Now, more than ever, we need to build on the successes of the previous decades of cancer discoveries and go faster and further with the impact we have on people with cancer.
“We are delighted to see five new teams working to address crucial areas of unmet need, to tackle some of the biggest challenges in cancer.”
Dame Debs’ parents, Heather and Alistair, told The Sun their daughter would be “over the moon” with funds going to a study at King’s College LondonStewart Williams
BBCDeborah’s parents said: “It was one of Deborah’s final wishes to establish the BBF, to find a way of ensuring in the future there are no more Deborahs”[/caption]
The signs of bowel cancer you need to know – remember BOWEL
B:Bleeding
There are several possible causes of bleeding from your bottom, of blood in your poo.
Bright red blood could come from swollen blood vessels, haemorrhoids or piles, in your back passage.
Dark red or black blood could come from your bowel or stomach.
Blood in your stools is one of the key signs of bowel cancer, so it’s important to mention it to your doctor so they can investigate.
2. O: Obvious change in loo habits
It’s important to tell your GP if you have noticed any changes in your bowel habits, that lasts three weeks or longer.
It’s especially important if you have also noticed signs of blood in your poo.
You might notice you need to go to the loo more often, you might have looser stools or feel like you’re not going enough or fully emptying your bowels.
Don’t be embarrassed, your GP will have heard a lot worse! Speak up and get it checked.
3. W: Weight loss
This is less common than the other symptoms, but an important one to be aware of. If you’ve lost weight and don’t really know why, it’s worth mentioning to your GP.
You may not feel like eating, feel sick, bloated and not hungry.
4. E: Extreme tiredness
Bowel cancer that causes bleeding can cause a lack of iron in the body – anaemia. If you develop anaemia you’re likely to feel tired and your skin might look pale.
5. L: Lump or pain
As with lots of other forms of cancer, a lump or pain can be a sign of bowel cancer.
It’s most likely you’ll notice a pain or lump in your stomach or back passage.
See your GP if it doesn’t go away, or if it affects how you eat or sleep