The mother of BBC podcast star Deborah James, who has incurable bowel cancer, has told fans she has had five operations in 10 days following a medical emergency during which she almost died.
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 a picture shared on her Instagram account, Deborah’s mother Heather shared a snap as they posed together in her hospital bed.
She stated, “How she manages to do it over and over again amazes me.” 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 James is the mother to BBC podcast host Deborah James. She has inoperable bowel cancer and has said she’s had five operations in ten days since a near-death experience.
‘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 certainly requires the support. I am allowed to enter, however risk must be minimized.
BBC podcast host Deborah shared the story of her incurable bowel disease. From hospital, she shared the following photo
‘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 used to stay in the same bedroom over and over again.
“As usual, she requested her make-up immediately she got here which 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 almost dying last week she explained that she was “beyond devastated”.
After enduring three surgeries and many more, she said that she was making progress and is now focusing on her recovery.
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 is seen tentatively walking in the hallway of a hospital.
“But somehow, my body is still ploughing along. 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 took her first steps in 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.’
She shared her progress with her Instagram followers and updated them on her health.
“Thank you for your kind words. I have been overwhelmed by your messages. I’m not in a position to respond but I very much appreciate the kindness,’ she said.
The mother-of-2 posted on Instagram Friday that she had endured the “hardest, hardest, most heartbreaking, and scariest” period in her battle against cancer. This included three surgeries and many more.
After she was resuscitated, her husband witnessed her tell her how doctors tried to save her life.
“A week ago, at this hour in the evening, I almost died in what was an urgent medical emergency,” she wrote. I’m not yet ready to share what happened because the trauma was intense. However, the incredible NHS team who worked tirelessly the next morning to save me made it possible.
“I could not be more grateful. But I am still in danger. I also have many more procedures. However, I am now free from intensive 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. I will have another operation tomorrow.
“In my 5 years with Stage 4 Cancer, this has been the toughest, most heartbreakingly and scariest. While I knew I would die, it was a shock to learn that I wouldn’t be able to see the end of my life.
I can’t believe it’s possible to be here and write this. One week ago, my entire family had hoped that I would pull through the night. To deal with my trauma, I am receiving a lot support and help.
“My family are amazing. It was amazing to see my husband hold it together as I crashed and an army doctors stabilized me in resus.
Deborah, a new podcast about cancer, You, Me and the Big C, reveals that she needed to learn to walk again following being colitis-bound in December.
The mother-of-2 posted on Instagram overnight that she had endured the “hardest, hardest, most heartbreaking, and scariest” period in her battle against cancer. This included three operations as well as a lot more.
She thanked her followers and said, “Do me a favor. Go tell your family how much you love them.” It is heartbreaking to realize in an instant that you may not see your loved ones again the next day. 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 spoke out about how hard the last six-months have been. Although she’s happy the “big gun” chemotherapy she had to endure has helped slow her cancer’s progress, she said it was an exhausting period.
James celebrated five years since her 2016 diagnosis. She thought it would be a small milestone, but she was admitted with colitis in December.
She shared that she was shocked by the transition from targeted therapy to chemotherapy.
“I’d say that my quality of living was horrible.”
Assisting listeners with updates on her health status, she stated: “Somedays I feel fine. Quality of my life is OK at the moment. However, I’m still not the person I was for four years.
‘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.
In December, her liver stopped working after the stent was fitted.
At the time, she shared with her supporters how their hopes of a quick replacement had become a nightmare.
She stated that she was now dependent on a super-magic medicine miracle. But then, I have always been that way and every chance is an opportunity right?
“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 and Lauren Mahon for the radio show You, Me and the Big C, which was awarded the Best Podcast on Radio 5 Live in 2018.
Bland, who died tragically from breast cancer in September 2005, was co-hosting the program with her husband Steve Bland.
She celebrated her 40th year as deputy headteacher in October. But she acknowledged that the “big gun chemotherapy” in summer had “floored her”.
HOW DEPUTY HEAD TURNED THE SOCIAL MEDIA STAR HAS TRANSFORMED BOWL CANCER AWARENESS
Deborah, (left), joined Lauren Mahon (front), and Rachael Bland (right) for the 2018 award-winning radio podcast You, Me, the Big C. Bland succumbed to breast cancer, tragically on the 5th of September that year. Steve Bland co-hosts the show.
- A West London mother-of-2, who is a deputy leader, was found to have incurable bowel cancer in December 2016.
- Deborah, who shared her experience with the disease through social media became the “Bowel Babe”.
- She was one of the three presenters for Radio 5 Live’s You, Me and the Big C in 2018, which her late cohost Rachael Bland created.
- Bland was diagnosed with terminal cancer in September 2018 at 40 years old.
- Lauren Mahon and Deborah continue hosting the show. Rachael Bland is joining them as well.
- Deborah documented her many radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgical sessions on social media, as well as in her Sun column.
Deborah said to her Instagram followers that during her treatment she had lost the ability to dance.It is clear that things are moving in the wrong direction cancerwise. Pictured is Deborah James, undergoing scans at Royal Marsden Hospital in 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 enclosed her bowel.
- Deborah turns 40 on October 1.
- On October 18, she informed her two-year-old daughter that chemotherapy had been successful.
- Days later, she was rushed to A&E with ‘spiking 40 degree temperatures’