The poignant goodbye gift the late Dame Deborah James gave her mum and daughter has been revealed.
The former deputy headteacher, who campaigned to raise awareness of bowel cancer, sadly died last June at the age of 40 following a battle with the illness.
She amazed a massive following online detailing her life with incurable bowel cancer under her online persona Bowelbabe. And it’s safe to say Deborah most definitely left her mark. She was made a Dame by Prince William in May 2022. And she also raised more than £7 million through The Bowelbabe Fund for Cancer Research UK.
And now Deborah’s mum Heather has opened up about her amazing daughter – even revealing the gift she got her before she passed away.
Dame Deborah James’ sweet gift to mum and daughter
Speaking to The Telegraph, the interviewer noted how Deborah’s mum was wearing a “very Deborah” outfit, including gold earrings and leopard-print stilettos.
So we would forever be linked together, the four of us.
But on her wrist was a Cartier bracelet with a delicate circular link. And this was actually Deborah’s goodbye gift to her mum, sister Sarah and daughter Eloise. Heather revealed Deborah bought them “so we would forever be linked together, the four of us”.
She added: “Deborah had her own one.”
Deborah is with me in spirit, says her mum
Late last summer, as Deborah’s book How To Live When You Could Be Dead was released, Heather opened up about her grief for her daughter.
She told Lorraine Kelly: “I actually find it harder now as the weeks go on because it’s longer since I’ve spoken to her and like this, she should be here doing this. I know she’s with me in spirit and I’m sure she’s looking down and saying: ‘Mum, you can do this.’”
Deborah’s documentary documents final five years of her life
It comes as the BBC documentary detailing the last five years of Dame Deborah James’ life airs on BBC Two tonight at 9pm (April 17).
Bowelbabe: In Her Own Words shows Dame Deborah James speaking frankly about her diagnosis and treatment.
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