Dame Deborah James is taking the difficult path of documenting the end of her life with visible honesty. Hospice care and the end of life is hard enough, but doing it for all to see in order to raise awareness adds an extra layer.
James’ battle with terminal bowel cancer is almost at its end, with the BBC host deciding to enter end-of-life care at home. She’s documented her journey with the disease across five years, with the highs and lows. Her latest doubled as a sweet Father’s Day message to her father, while also showing how he’s giving support amid the difficult time.
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“Happy Father’s Day! Yes, my Dad is brushing my hair because I have no strength anymore to brush this,” James wrote along with a photo of her father holding a comb with her hair as she sits in a white chair. The 40-year-old looks frail, while father Alistair is still doing his job.
James also spoke with The Sun about her father as part of her latest column. “I’ve not always been a big one for telling Dad how much I love him, so take it from me, just say it. You never know when it might be your last chance,” James says. “It’s too hard to think about, the idea I won’t see my son as a father.”
She expands her praise a bit to shower love on her kids, Hugo and Eloise, and her brother, Ben. “I can’t stop crying. I’m incredibly lucky, it’s hard to put it all into words,” James said. “For me, this year it’s about my dad and Seb, but it’s also about the men in my life who will hopefully one day be fathers too, my son and brother…The biggest thing for me right now, not knowing how long I have left, is that the kids will be Ok.”
But in the end, she was focused on her father and how much he’s meant to her through the good and bad times. “My dad is my unsung hero, more so than ever. He’s quietly there behind the scenes, making sure I am OK. He’s always been a very calming, loving presence in my life – he’s very good at handling me and all my craziness. His patience knows no bounds,” she shares. “My whole life, he has just been standing behind me, quietly holding me up.”
The entire chat is worth your time if you’ve ever lost someone or have been following James’ emotional story. While she’s trying to live a normal life in the face of her final chapter, the reality of the situation makes her support system that much more important.
