DEBORAH James’ brother has married his partner of more than a decade after Prince William gave him the nudge to propose.
Ben James and his now-wife Ashely got engaged in May 2022 – just weeks before Dame Debs died.
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The fierce cancer campaigner had shared the happy news to Instagram at the time – but tragically admitted she knew she wouldn’t make the wedding.
Ben and Ashley have now tied the knot – with his and Debs’ mum putting up a sweet message, saying she was “celebrating the pride” her brave daughter would have felt.
Debs was just 40 years old when she died in June 2022, five-and-a-half years after being diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer.
Her brother Ben and Ashley had got engaged in the weeks prior – after Prince William gave him a push.
The heir was said to have given him a nudge when he presented Debs with a Damehood in May 2022.
Wills reportedly asked him why he hadn’t yet popped the question after such a long time together.
And Debs’ and Ben’s mum Heather has now uploaded a video with sweet snaps from the wedding.
The 66-year-old said the Barbados wedding have been “wonderful” and said how lovely it had been to have all the couple’s loved ones together.
But, Heather continued: “Two very special people sadly are no longer with us.
“We all celebrated the joy and pride that Sue (Ashley’s mum) and Deborah would have felt.”
Debs had announced her brother’s happy news on Instagram in 2022, sharing a series of snaps in which she, Ben and his wife-to-be Ashley grinned as they show off the ring.
Underneath, she said: “He finally put a ring on it. Congratulations to Ben and Ashley for finally getting engaged after 11 years.
“If you ever followed my podcasts, brother banter features highly, and even Prince William joined in on the action recently.
“The question to my brother has always been, ‘why haven’t you proposed?’
“As a family everyone knew they both wanted to, it wasn’t like it’s been off the cards, it’s just always been apparently about ‘the right time’.
Two very special people sadly are no longer with us.
Heather James
“So they finally did it, and then face timed me from Cornwall and then friends all afterwards – my mouth was still opened for the rest of the day.”
The post came just days before Debs died.
She had said that her body was “no longer playing ball” after five years battling bowel cancer, went on to say she was “of course sad” she wouldn’t be at the wedding.
She was, however, was grateful for an excuse to throw her “last impromptu party” full of cake and silver fairy lights.
Deborah added: “I couldn’t be prouder to be able to finally say that Ashley will be my sister in law – I adore her.
“And she makes Ben happy which is all that matters and vice versa.”
The signs of bowel cancer you need to know – remember BOWEL
- B:Bleeding
There are several possible causes of bleeding from your bottom, of blood in your poo.
Bright red blood could come from swollen blood vessels, haemorrhoids or piles, in your back passage.
Dark red or black blood could come from your bowel or stomach.
Blood in your stools is one of the key signs of bowel cancer, so it’s important to mention it to your doctor so they can investigate.
2. O: Obvious change in loo habits
It’s important to tell your GP if you have noticed any changes in your bowel habits, that lasts three weeks or longer.
It’s especially important if you have also noticed signs of blood in your poo.
You might notice you need to go to the loo more often, you might have looser stools or feel like you’re not going enough or fully emptying your bowels.
Don’t be embarrassed, your GP will have heard a lot worse! Speak up and get it checked.
3. W: Weight loss
This is less common than the other symptoms, but an important one to be aware of. If you’ve lost weight and don’t really know why, it’s worth mentioning to your GP.
You may not feel like eating, feel sick, bloated and not hungry.
4. E: Extreme tiredness
Bowel cancer that causes bleeding can cause a lack of iron in the body – anaemia. If you develop anaemia you’re likely to feel tired and your skin might look pale.
5. L: Lump or pain
As with lots of other forms of cancer, a lump or pain can be a sign of bowel cancer.
It’s most likely you’ll notice a pain or lump in your stomach or back passage.
See your GP if it doesn’t go away, or if it affects how you eat or sleep
It comes as it was revealed millions of pounds raised by Debs before she died will help shed new light on an alarming rise in bowel cancer cases in the under-50s.
The mum-of-two’s Bowelbabe Fund has committed £5million to fund a global study to determine risk factors and understand how diet can help prevent the disease.
One of the Sun columnist’s dying wishes was to establish her fund to fuel research into cancer, its causes, treatments and hopefully one day, a cure.
Now, a large chunk of the £12.6million raised so far in her honour, will fund the work of Team PROSPECT at King’s College London, Massachusetts General Hospital and Washington University in St. Louis.
Dame Debs’ parents, Heather and Alistair, told The Sun their daughter would be “over the moon” knowing money she helped raise could one day prevent young people dying of the disease.
They said: “Deborah would have been so proud and thrilled – as are we, as a family.
“Sadly, we know only too well that early-onset bowel cancer is on the rise.
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“It was one of Deborah’s final wishes to establish the BBF, to find a way of ensuring in the future there are no more Deborahs.
“To help support some of the finest researchers on a global programme that could lead to a major shift in the identification – and eventually eradication – of this disease represents a perfect way for us as a family to help achieve Deborah’s final hopes and dreams.”
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