Deborah James worked in education for 15 years as a deputy head teacher, where she led national research into growth mindset in schools. At the age of 35, life with her young children and husband was thrown upside down when she was diagnosed with stage 4, incurable bowel cancer. She responded by starting a blog, 'bowel babe', which became the award-winning, weekly column in The Sun, 'Things Cancer Made Me Say'. Over the five years that followed, she dedicated herself tirelessly to fundraise, challenge taboos and raise awareness of cancer, cheered on by over 700k followers on Instagram (@bowelbabe), and presented chart-topping podcasts 'You, Me and the Big C' for BBC's Radio 5 Live and 'The Good Stuff', which she hosted with her children. In May 2022, Deborah was personally awarded a damehood by the Duke of Cambridge.