Deborah James' efforts 'smashing those poo taboos' delivers record high bowel cancer checks

Record numbers of people have come forward for bowel cancer checks thanks to broadcaster Dame Deborah James who is known for “smashing poo taboos” by telling the public to be vigilant about symptoms like blood in your poo.

After her own diagnosis of bowel cancer, Dame Deborah James campaigned to raise public awareness and also managed to raise £7.4 million for cancer research before her death from the disease on 18 June.

Tens of thousands more people have checked the NHS website in the last three months for the symptoms of bowel cancer. Between the months of May and July, NHS referrals figures for suspected lower gastro-intestinal cancers reached record levels, with over 170,500 people referred for checks – up by over 30,000 people compared to the same period in 2021.

Referral figures (published by NHS Digital for the week ending 12 August) showed Dame Deborah’s campaigning helped referrals for bowel cancer hit an all-time high in the second week of July - up 60 per cent on pre-pandemic levels.

Steve Barclay: Courageous ‘lasting legacy’

Genevieve Edwards, chief executive at Bowel Cancer UK, says: “People visiting bowelcanceruk.org.uk has never been higher, with tens of thousands more people seeking information about the symptoms of the disease since Dame Deborah James’ tragic death.

“There was also a spike in people affected by bowel cancer posting on our forum, contacting our Ask the Nurse service and we know that people have visited their GP as a result of hearing her story.

“Being aware of the symptoms and visiting your GP if you are concerned can help increase chances of an early diagnosis when the disease is easier to treat.”

Bowel cancer is England’s fourth most common cancer - with around 37,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Symptoms of bowel cancer can include blood in your poo, a change in bowel habits or tummy pain, and unexpected weight loss or fatigue.

Around nine in 10 people with bowel cancer are aged 60+. The risk factors of bowel cancer mean diet, age, family history, smoking and drinking habits all influence the likelihood of developing the illness but it can also occur outside of these risks.

To meet the increasing demand for cancer checks, NHS services are expanding with one-stop shops for tests, mobile clinics and cancer symptom hotlines to get people diagnosed and treated as early as possible.

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said: “These figures reflect the lasting legacy of Dame Deborah James’ tireless campaigning to raise awareness about bowel cancer. Through her courage and honesty in the fight against this terrible illness, she has inspired tens of thousands more people to come forward and get checked.”

Cancer survivor: 'People feel too embarrassed to talk about symptoms'

Almost 43,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer each year in the UK.

Erica Squire aged 59, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2017 after feeling pain in her abdomen. She was referred for a colonoscopy where doctors found bowel cancer had spread to her liver. After chemotherapy treatment, her tumours shrunk enough to be operated on and she had part of her bowel removed and tumours removed from her liver. She has since been given the all clear.

Erica Squire said: “I was so proud to see the hard campaigning of Dame Deborah James and the work she has done to dispel myths surrounding it.

"She was very keen to reduce the stigma surrounding bowel cancer, in my experience, people simply feel too embarrassed to talk about their symptoms and they shouldn’t.”

Call to ‘smash these poo taboos’ sees £7.4m raised for Bowelbabe Fund

Dame Deborah James has raised more than £7.4m to date (16 August) for Cancer Research UK. Known on social media as ‘bowelbabe’, Deborah Jones has said she established the Bowelbabe Fund (with the support of Cancer Research UK) to fund “clinical trials and research into personalised medicine that could result in new treatments for cancer patients”.

When she publicly announced that she could not be cured of her cancer, Dame Deborah said: “So, I suppose this is the message I never wanted to get to. We have tried everything, but my body simply isn't playing ball. Even with all the innovative cancer drugs in the world or some magic new breakthrough, I realise that my rollercoaster of a ride is coming to an end very soon.

“Your support in establishing the Bowelbabe Fund, continuing to spread the word, and smashing those poo taboos will forever be cherished!”

On her fundraising JustGiving page for the Bowelbabe fund, the mum of two wrote ‘Please help me, my family and everyone around us give one final F*** YOU to cancer!’

Deborah James: 'Why not me? is just as valid a question'

Dame Deborah James died on 18 June.

In ‘How to Live When You Could Be Dead’ - the book she finished writing before her death - the campaigner shares the lessons she learned after being diagnosed with the terminal illness.

Deborah James writes: “To begin with, we need to stop focusing on ‘Why me?’ and realise that ‘Why not me?’ is just as valid a question.”

She describes her rebellious hope by saying: “I’m rebelling against expectations of how someone in my position should act, and I’m choosing to remain hopeful despite it perhaps seeming as though there’s nothing to be hopeful for.”

She says: “If you’ve never failed, it might mean you’ve never really pushed yourself all that hard, because, in my opinion, it’s impossible to thrive and live life to the fullest without failure.”

She also tells us: “Living in the face of death is the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but it has truly shown me the power of gratitude.”

'How to Live When You Could Be Dead' by Deborah James is published on 18 August. £3 from the sale of every UK copy will go to the Bowelbabe Fund for Cancer Research UK.