Record numbers of people are having bowel cancer checks after the death of campaigner Dame Deborah James, health bosses have said. Dame Deborah, also known by her social media handle Bowel Babe, had been raising awareness about the disease until her death on June 28 at the age of 40. Dame Deborah James, with her husband Sebastien Bowen during a private tour at the Chelsea Flower Show (The Harkness Rose Company/PA)Figures also showed referrals for bowel cancer hit an all-time high in the second week of July, shortly after Dame Deborah’s death, up 60% on pre-pandemic levels. National cancer director Dame Cally Palmer said: “Thanks to the brave and relentless campaigning of Dame Deborah James, bowel cancer has come to the forefront of a national conversation on catching cancer as early as possible, and the fact that we have seen record numbers of people coming forward for bowel cancer checks shows people are taking the illness seriously and speaking to their GPs about it. https://t.co/AztN5FziLR ❤️ — Deborah James (@bowelbabe) May 9, 2022In early May, Dame Deborah revealed she had stopped active treatment and was receiving end-of-life care at her parents’ home in Woking, Surrey, with her husband and their two children on hand.

Source: The Times August 13, 2022 05:33 UTC