Prince William praises £20m milestone for Dame Deborah James fund

Prince William praises £20m milestone for Dame Deborah James fund

The fund established by Dame Deborah James in support of cancer research has achieved a remarkable milestone, raising over £20 million, according to the Prince of Wales. The Bowelbabe Fund, initiated in May 2022 just before Dame Deborah passed away from bowel cancer, originally set out with a goal of raising £250,000 but has surpassed that target significantly in under four years.

Prince William paid tribute to Dame Deborah’s legacy through an Instagram message, describing it as “amazing” and expressing his thoughts for her and her loved ones. Reflecting on the impact of the fund, Dame Deborah’s mother, Heather James, conveyed that Deborah “would be absolutely over the moon” to witness this achievement. Heather emphasized Deborah’s deep commitment to advancing research intended to help those affected by cancer spend more time with their families.

In an interview with BBC Breakfast, Dame Deborah’s father, Alistair James, commented on the extraordinary fundraising success, noting: “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.” The funds raised by the Bowelbabe Fund have supported 16 different research projects, including the development of a vaccine designed to enhance immunity against bowel cancer, according to representatives from Cancer Research UK.

Prince William himself recognized Dame Deborah’s contributions by personally honoring her, joining her family for tea and champagne during her hospice care. Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, acknowledged the significance of reaching this milestone, calling it “a true testament to Deborah’s incredible legacy.” She highlighted the progress made in bowel cancer survival rates thanks to research but emphasized that further work remains essential

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