Prince William Honors £20M Achievement of Bowelbabe Fund

Dame Deborah James’s cancer research initiative, the Bowelbabe Fund, has surpassed a significant £20 million target, according to Prince William. He highlighted the achievement in a recent Instagram post, expressing admiration for the “amazing legacy” of the late broadcaster. The fund, launched in May 2022 just weeks before her passing, has exceeded its original £250,000 goal within less than four years.

The milestone marks the culmination of efforts to support groundbreaking projects aimed at improving bowel cancer treatment. In a heartfelt message, William recalled Deborah’s impact, stating: “Deborah is in our thoughts today, as are all those who loved her.” Her family, including her mother Heather James, echoed similar sentiments, with Heather noting: “Deborah would be absolutely over the moon if she were here today to see this.”

“She was so passionate about supporting research that would help give more people affected by cancer more time with their loved ones,” Heather James added.

“She set this up in the last few weeks of her life and if she knew we had managed £20.5m even Deborah with her energy probably wouldn’t believe what happened,” Alistair James, her father, shared.

Cancer Research UK, which receives contributions from the fund, announced that the donations have funded 16 studies, including a pioneering “Bowelbabe vaccine” designed to enhance immune defenses against the disease. Deborah, known for hosting the You, Me And The Big C podcast, was awarded a damehood for her fundraising accomplishments, which exceeded £1 million in the first 24 hours. The honor was bestowed by Prince William during a visit to her home while she received hospice care.

Michelle Mitchell, CEO of Cancer Research UK, emphasized the importance of the milestone, stating: “Reaching this £20m milestone is a true testament to Deborah’s incredible legacy.” While noting progress in survival rates for bowel cancer patients, she highlighted ongoing challenges, saying: “Thanks to research, more than half of people diagnosed with bowel cancer in the UK will survive the disease. But there is still much more to do.”

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