Family members of Dame Deborah James are calling for the UK political parties to commit to more research for cancer.
In 2022, Deborah tragically died from bowel cancer at the age of just 40, five years after she was diagnosed. During her final years, she helped spread awareness and raised money for the Bowelbabe Fund for Cancer Research UK. Over £12 million has been raised to date.
Dame Deborah James
Deborah’s husband Sebastien Bowen, parents Alistair and Heather James, and siblings Ben James and Sarah Wieczorek have all written a letter to the government in the hope that they will deliver a long-term cancer strategy within the next year.
Supporting Cancer Research UK’s Longer, Better Lives statement, the family hopes it can “drive earlier diagnosis and reduce inequalities in access to treatment and care”.
“That is why we are calling on all political parties to make the upcoming general election a landmark moment by committing to a long-term cancer strategy for England, helping to give more people affected by cancer more time with the people they love,” they wrote in their open letter to The Sun.
“Sadly, we are not unique as a family 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. People affected by cancer must be at the heart of this general election.”
Deborah ‘smashed stigmas around cancer’
In the same letter, Deborah’s close ones praised her for being a woman who “smashed stigmas around cancer”. She also championed “passionate advocate of the importance of early diagnosis”.
“Diagnosing cancer at an earlier stage saves lives,” they added.
The family also stated that there is a need for a boost in the NHS cancer workforce and investments in “vital diagnosis equipment to ensure everyone who needs it can access the right test, in the right place, at the right time”.
A recent analysis by the Bowelbabe Fund for Cancer Research UK predicts that by 2040 there will be a noticeable increase in bowel cancer cases. The data expects bowel cancer cases will jump from the current 42,800 diagnoses each year to 47,700. Part of this will be down to the expanding and ageing population.
Read more: Deborah James’ brother gets married as their mum admits ‘two special people are no longer with us’
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