AFTER being diagnosed with bowel cancer, The Sun columnist Deborah James committed her life to helping others with the disease.
The podcaster and author died in June 2022 leaving behind her beloved children.
Dan WilliamsInspirational Deborah James passed away in 2022 from bowel cancer[/caption]
How many children does Deborah James have?
Journalist Deborah James was married to Sebastien Bowen and they had two children together – a daughter called Eloise, a son named Hugo.
Her kids co-hosted her podcast The Good Stuff with her during lockdown in 2020.
At the age of 35, Deborah was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer and started sharing her journey in her Sun column, Things Cancer Made Me Say.
Two years after her diagnosis, she released a book called F*** You Cancer: How to Face the Big C, Live Your Life and Still Be Yourself.
The same year she also began presenting the podcast You, Me and the Big C with fellow cancer patients Lauren Mahon and Rachael Bland.
In May 2022, Deborah posted an update on her condition and admitted that she had stopped treatment and was instead receiving end of life care.
She died aged 40 on June 28, 2022.
What did Deborah James say about her children?
While Deborah remained resilient throughout her bowel cancer journey, she broke down in tears during a BBC Breakfast appearance in May 2022 when she spoke about her children.
She said: “It’s been hideous telling my children. My first thought was, ‘I don’t want them to see me like this’.
“I didn’t think I’d be able to speak to them without crying, but I’d love one last cuddle.”
Before she passed, Deborah revealed she wanted to leave letters to Eloise and Hugo, to mark special occasions.
“I want them to have letters at milestones, and funny messages: Here’s my advice on your wedding day; what to do on a first date”, she explained.
In her final column, Deborah wrote: “I’ve gone into mental overdrive and with the help of my husband, Seb, we have made sure that the kids have memory boxes – we’ve bought them gifts for certain key future birthdays.
“I do not want to die – I can’t get my head around the idea that I will not see my kids’ weddings or see them grow up – that I will no longer be a part of life that I love so much.”