DAME Deborah James' family are today calling for urgent action to give more cancer patients precious time with their loved ones.
In a letter to the leaders of all political parties, the Sun writer’s husband Sebastien Bowen, parents Alistair and Heather James and siblings, Ben James and Sarah Wieczorek, urge the next Government to commit to a long-term cancer strategy to “drive earlier diagnosis and reduce inequalities in access to treatment and care”.
Harnessing Deborah’s fierce campaigning spirit, the family said: “We are not unique in losing a loved one too soon to cancer.
“Many families across the country feel the same heartbreak every day. But it does not have to be this way.”
Dame Debs died in June 2022, five and a half years after she was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer.
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The 40-year-old mum to Hugo, 16, and Eloise, 14, was a tireless campaigner - banging the drum for all cancer patients, raising awareness, urging people to “check your poo” while spreading her message of holding onto “rebellious hope”.
Dad Alistair, 68, added: “Deborah would wholeheartedly back this urgent call to politicians, she would have led the charge on behalf of all cancer patients.
“She was a passionate advocate of early diagnosis, and today, we are continuing the work she started.
“Driving earlier diagnosis must be a key part to ensure everyone has access to the care they need, when they need it.”
Driven by a burning desire to stop others facing her fate, Deborah spent the last seven weeks of her life raising a staggering £7million for her Bowelbabe Fund - which now stands at over £12m.
Her family has now joined forces with Cancer Research UK,to support the charity’s Longer, Better Lives manifesto which calls for a re-doubling of efforts to recruit more NHS staff and invest in diagnostic equipment.
Dame Debs’ family added: “Too many people are waiting too long to be diagnosed because of a fundamental lack of capacity in diagnostic services, particularly in endoscopy, which is a vital test for bowel cancer.
“NHS staff are doing their best, but the reality is that our health service does not have the resources available to see cancer patients in a timely manner.”
Stark figures show that while NHS England requires that 75 per cent of patients urgently referred are diagnosed or have cancer ruled out within 28 days - the target has yet to be met for gastrointestinal cancers, including bowel.
Had that target been achieved, the latest figures suggest that in February alone, around 3,800 people would’ve found out they had cancer on time.
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Dame Debs was only too aware of the fact early diagnosis saves lives.
If bowel cancer is caught at the earliest stage, around nine in 10 people will survive for five years or more.
This plummets to just one in 10 when the disease is caught at the latest stage, as Deborah’s was.
Calling on all parties to put cancer patients at the heart of their manifestos, her family added: “We are calling on all political parties to make the upcoming general election a landmark moment… helping to give more people affected by cancer more time with the people they love.”
Cancer Research UK’s chief executive, Michelle Mitchell, echoed the family’s heartfelt plea.
“Right now, people affected by cancer are not getting the care they need and deserve.
“We urgently need more staff and equipment for the NHS, alongside a reform of cancer services.
“With cancer cases set to rise, we need assurance that cancer is a priority for the UK Government.
“That’s why we are urging all political parties to commit to publishing a strategy within one year of the general election.”
Dame Debs family urged the public to support their call by signing CRUK’s Longer, Better Lives campaign letter - visit cancerresearchuk.org
