BBC host Deborah James revealed that she has incurable intestinal cancer and was hospitalized after she was “rushed back to theatre” yesterday following a serious medical emergency.
A former headteacher turned cancer advocate, she is 40 years old and has been fighting stage four bowel carcinoma since being diagnosed in December 2016.
In an Instagram photo, the mother of two can be seen laying on her bed in a hospital.
Deborah claimed she was on a cancer rollercoaster, writing that she had a small bleeding and ended up having to be rushed into the theatre for a colonoscopy as well as an endocsopy in less than an hour. This allowed her to find the source of the problem.
‘It’s amazing how quickly crash teams work, and as much as I just want to be home (it’s now getting on to two weeks in hospital), it’s also nice to feel in a safe place when my body isn’t playing ball.’
Deborah James, 40 years old, is a BBC podcast host who suffers from inoperable bowel cancer.
In an Instagram picture, the mother of two can be seen lying on her bed in hospital. The medical equipment surrounds her and she said it was an awful night.
Her post read: “Yesterday’s was the classic ride high then fall at the last corner! Positive blood tests, no drains (unlike this photo), and I was much more concerned about my hospital make-up stash than any other thing. Lippy and dry shampoo for the win
‘Was feeling good (it’s all relative!) My liver count was FINALLY increasing (go liver !!).). Even my oncologist suggested that I could be home within a couple of days.
But she stated that yesterday’s events were not good and said, “Praying today will remain un-eventual but stable!” Thank you for your love.
‘Either me or mum will update – it’s nice to have another source for updating you lovley lot.
BBC podcast host Deborah shared the story of her incurable bowel disease. From hospital, she shared the following photo
“Have I to say, teaching my mum how to use Instagram while in hospital has made my face a huge smile!” It’s certainly giving my family some well needed laughs!’
“We continue to go. Each step is important. As a late friend said “I haven’t come this far to only go this far.’
It comes after Deborah’s mother shared an update on her daughter’s health yesterday on Instagram.
She said, “How she does this time after time blows my mind.” It’s early hours, but it went to plan. If it worked, the goal was to instill her bile-stent. So far this seems to have been successful.
Deborah, the mother of BBC Podcast star Deborah said to her fans that she had undergone five operations within a span of ten days after a serious medical emergency. (Photo: Together)
‘Obviously now she’s kept under close monitoring but she’s really happy (and emotional) because she has no drains for the first time in weeks.
We just need to hope she is stable now. Due to the operation today, I was allowed to see her briefly as her nominated visitor – which I’m grateful for.’
Heather continued: ‘Visiting in Covid is a really hard balance and it’s heartbreaking that families can’t see their loved ones more – I can’t imagine what families went through in full lock down (including in our own family).
“Deborah definitely needs support, hence why I was permitted in. But risk must be kept to a minimum.
‘Mental health is so important though, we can’t underestimate how it helps with recovery.
Deborah said, “I see it.” It was times before Covid that I remember being able to stay the night in the same place over and over again.
“She requested her make-up immediately she got here, as is the custom. This is always a positive sign.
She then hashtagged the post using #MotherDaughter, #OneDayAtATime.
It comes days after she filmed herself walking down a hospital hallway. After nearly dying last week, she said that she was now ‘beyond broken’.
She stated that she is making good progress in her treatment and that it was helping her to recover from the scariest and hardest week of her battle with cancer. This included three operations as well as a number of additional procedures.
The mother-of-two was told early on that she might not live beyond five years – a milestone that passed in the autumn (pictured)
Sharing the video on Instagram, Deborah wrote: ‘Today I walked – it’s the first time in nine days I’ve been able to try.
‘It’s never been so hard to muster the strength and conviction to do so. I’ve had four operations this week (with more to come), am beyond shattered with a very weak body,’ she revealed.
Deborah can be seen wandering tentatively through a hallway in a hospital.
“But somehow my body keeps ploughing ahead. Sometimes we have to take it one step at a time. The nurses and doctors are being incredible – I’ve cried on pretty much everyone that pops their head around the door,’ she went on in her post.
‘I’m making progress, it’s slow, but steady. I’m still being monitored very closely. No idea what the next plan is- it’s just taking things bit by bit.
‘It’s hard when you just want a plan, but the plan is really to try to get me better, whatever pathway that takes. My drains are to do with my bile duct – which they finally stented (well we are in the middle of that process), and acities, which I’ve had 10 litres drained already hence why I’m don’t look pregnant anymore,’ she explained.
Deborah expressed her gratitude to the people she follows for supporting her despite the difficult ordeal that she faces.
Deborah, who had just completed her second week of difficult weeks, shared this video with us as she made her first steps into the hospital.
Sharing the video on Instagram, Deborah wrote: ‘Today I walked – it’s the first time in nine days I’ve been able to try.’
Podcaster spoke out on Instagram about her progress and informed her fans of her current condition.
“Thank you for all of your beautiful messages. I have been overwhelmed by your messages. I’m not in a position to respond but I very much appreciate the kindness,’ she said.
On Friday, the mom-of-two posted on Instagram that the hardest, scariest and most difficult part of her fight against cancer had been over the past week. She has endured three operations as well as a host of other procedures.
After she was ‘crashed’ during resuscitation, her husband witnessed doctors fight to save her life.
“A week ago, at this hour in the evening, I almost died in an acute medical emergency,” she wrote. I’m not yet ready to share what happened because the trauma was intense. However, the incredible NHS team who came together to rescue me throughout the night and into the morning saved my life.
“I could not be more grateful. But I am still in danger. I also have many more procedures. But, I’m out of intensive medical care. I felt for the first-time that I could briefly update you.
After sharing a photo she shared of herself giving a thumbs-up from her hospital bed, she said: “This was me yesterday after I had my third operation in this week. Tomorrow is another surgery.
“In five years of being diagnosed with stage four cancer, this was the most difficult, heartbreaking and frightening of all. Although I had always planned for my eventual death, I was not prepared for anything so devastating and blinding.
“I’m speechless. One week ago, my entire family was hoping I would pull through the night. My family is offering support and assistance to help me deal with the trauma that I have experienced.
“My family has been amazing. My husband was a miracle worker, seeing my crash and being supported by an army of medical professionals.
Deborah, who was colitis-bound and had to relearn how to walk in December, spoke out on a podcast called You, Me and the Big C.
Overnight, she posted on Instagram that the mother of two had experienced the hardest, most heartbreakingly and scariest week of her fight against cancer. She also shared how three surgeries and “a lot more” procedures were necessary.
After thanking her fans for their support she said: “Do me the favor and tell your loved ones how deeply you love them. The heartbreaking thing about realizing in one moment that you won’t see your family again is to be able to look at the future. Have no regrets.’
It comes days after Deborah returned to her popular podcast You, me and the Big C and revealed how she’d been ‘absolutely floored’ by ‘big gun chemo’ during the summer and then a serious infection at the year’s end – which saw her carried into a London hospital at 1am by her husband for treatment.
She told co-hosts Lauren Mahon and Steve Bland on the newest episode of the BBC podcast that she’d had to learn to walk again after being forced to remain in bed for almost a month.
“After colitis I had to learn to walk again, because there was so much fluid.
“I had been in bed for three weeks. Just learning to walk the length of the drive, or any other distance is impossible.
James shared her feelings about the difficulties she has faced over the past six months. She said that while she is happy with the fact that she received ‘big guns chemo’ to slow down the growth of her cancer, but it was exhausting.
James was five years old when her 2016 diagnosis came up. This milestone she didn’t think she would reach, she reached it in December. However, she was still in hospital with infectious Colitis.
She shared that she was shocked by the transition from targeted therapy to chemotherapy.
I would describe my life as a miserable mess.
She updated listeners about her current health status by saying: “Some days, I feel fine. My quality of life right now is okay. But I am not the same person that people know for the last four years. I don’t run around doing cardio every day.”
‘It’s just stable in a really b****y awkward place.’
Campaigner said that due to her decreased liver function and colitis she is unlikely to be eligible for clinical trials.
She confessed that she had been procrastinating about possible treatment options over the Christmas holiday.
James learned that her liver was failing from an aggressive tumor in the summer.
She received a stent to prevent her liver from failing in December.
Her followers were shocked when she explained how her hopes for a quick operation to replace the damaged organ had been turned into a “nightmare”.
She stated that she was now dependent on a super-magic medicine miracle. But then, I have always been, so any chance would be a good thing.
“All that I can ever think of is the desire to have hope and choices.”
James announced in April her return to cancer. After a pioneering treatment she had been able to keep at bay, James was forced into a 12th procedure.
A West London mother of two, who was a deputy head in the West London Police Department, was later diagnosed with incurable bowel carcinoma.
Her frequent statements have been that she is the only person who doctors thought would get this disease because she has always run as a vegetarian.
Deborah began sharing stories on how she had lived with the disease via social media and was soon known as “Bowel Babe” because she started writing columns for The Sun.
Deborah joined Rachael Bland and Lauren Mahon to host the 2018 award-winning podcast You, Me and the Big C at Radio 5 Live.
Bland died from breast cancer tragically on the 5th of September that year. Steve Bland is now hosting the show.
In October, the former deputy head teacher of education celebrated her 40th Birthday. However, she admitted that the ‘big guns chemo’ during summer had ‘floored’ her.
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Deborah joined Lauren Mahon (front), and Rachael (right) in 2018 to host the radio show You, Me, and the Big C. Bland succumbed to breast cancer, tragically on the 5th of September that year. Steve Bland co-presents this show.
- The West London mother of two, who was a deputy head in the West London police force, was later diagnosed with incurable bowel carcinoma.
- Deborah, who shared her experience with the disease through social media became the “Bowel Babe”.
- 2018 was her first year as one of the presenters for Radio 5 Live’s You, Me and the Big C, which she co-hosted with Rachael Bland, her deceased co-host.
- Bland was diagnosed with terminal cancer in September 2018 at 40 years old.
- Lauren Mahon, Deborah, and Lauren Mahon, her co-host, continue to host the show. Rachael’s husband Steve Bland joins the pair.
- Deborah’s experiences with radiotherapy and chemotherapy have been documented on social media as well her columns for The Sun.
Deborah shared with her followers via Instagram that she was unable to dance during treatment.That things have changed (in the wrong direction), very rapidly cancer-wise. Photo: Deborah James undergoes a scan at Royal Marsden Hospital, London
- CyberKnife was a targeted radiotherapy procedure that she underwent in 2019 to treat an inoperable lymphoma close to her liver.
- The pandemic’s impact on cancer services saw her campaign for care to continue as normal and, earlier this year, she launched the ITV’s Lorraine’s ‘No Butts’ campaign, raising awareness on bowel cancer symptoms
- After her oncology team approved her, she began taking experimental drugs in a clinical trial.
- Deborah shared with August that recent scans have shown her cancer is moving in the wrong direction.
- Following the scans, she told her followers that she was taking a weekend off from social media to snuggle with her family.
- A new, rapidly growing tumour was found near the mother of two. It had wrapped around her abdomen.
- Deborah turns 40 on October 1.
- The mother-of-2 told her fans that her chemotherapy was working by October 18.
- Days later, she was rushed to A&E with ‘spiking 40 degree temperatures’