Forum Topic

Dame Deborah James

Such sad news to hear of this amazing woman's passing - would that we could all be as courageous and feisty faced with such a dreadful disease. Many people owe her so much for her fearless discussion of bowel cancer and highlighting that early detection is key.

Vanessa Smith ● 1545d10 Comments

Hear, hear, Vanessa. RIP Dame Deborah.

Colin Jordan ● 1545d

RIP Dame Deborah - the woman brave enough to tell the whole wide world that she once was a one poo a day girl who became an eight poos a day girl - in a bid to get others to seek medical attention.

Philippa Bond ● 1545d

All of our lives are finite but too often we forget to live for the time given us.The courage shown by Dame Deborah should remind us all amazingly brave people should be emulated. God rest her soul and thankyou for her example.

John Davies ● 1545d

May she rest in peace.Having had two very close friends go through the trauma of bowel resection, radiotherapy and chemotherapy with Stage 3 bowel cancer. I urge anyone who notices even the slightest trace of blood in their faeces or who bowel movement 'patter' changes to seek urgent medical help. By-pass your GP if needs be and get to an urgent care centre. Don't be fobbed off. A simply foecal test and or a colonoscopy will exclude bowel cancer or get you the treatment needed sooner rather than later. My two firends are still with their families. If in ANY doubt seek professional advice.

N V Brooks ● 1545d

Jade Goody of 'that TV programme' raised huge awareness of cervical cancer ~ she wasn't offered a damehood. Was it because she was of the wrong social class?

Bobbie Carnegie ● 1534d

A friend of mine went through it. Diagnosed late because doctors kept fobbing her off.  After a lot of gruelling  treatment she recovered, only to develop breat cancer.  She now has Covid but at least she's still with us.

Claire Moran ● 1533d

N V is right about not letting yourself be fobbed off by GPs. Almost five years ago I went to my GP with an aching and slightly swollen left breast. I was told that that is not how breast cancer presents and given anti-biotics for mastitis. I had to go back twice more before being referred to the Breast Clinic where cancer was diagnosed.Fortunately, the delay didn't prevent successful treatment, but it could have done.

Susan Kelly ● 1532d

'Was it because she was of the wrong social class?'I doubt that - even in that short space of time since Jade sadly died - the world has moved on to where these things are spoken even more openly about. Deborah James also campaigned for many years via the podcast 'You, me and the Big C' and that is what she was awarded the Damehood for I believe.

Vanessa Smith ● 1532d

Yes, breast cancer doesn't have to present as a lump. There is also something called 'architectural distortion'. An inverted nipple is also something to look out for.

Anne England ● 1532d

To be fair to the GP, all the cancer specialists I met during my treatment expressed surprise at the symptoms I had had.

Susan Kelly ● 1532d