Deborah James - bowelbabe

[Lollypop29]

So glad someone started this thread. Cancer does not give you a get out of jail card to avoid criticism (and I had it at 30 now have it terminal at 42 - different cancer mind). I don't know if she cares about being relatable, but she's meant to be fighting the good fight for people with stage 4 cancer yet doesn't acknowledge the fact that her experience of cancer is DRAMATICALLY different to the vast majority of crap normal NHS experiences. And instead flaunts and flaunts this discrepancy. Ooooh Dior, ooooh Wimbledon, oooooooh the housekeeper. I couldn't afford to pay for anything beyond what the NHS offered so am on my last treatment line now. I also can't afford to holiday in my luxury home in France once a year, so my last view will be a grotty, rainy British one. Am I jealous, absolutely!! But mainly because this was being shoved in my face as a 'normal cancer fight' and 'for the people'. And if you flaunt your infinitely more privileged cancer existance while pretending you are fighting the good fight for the masses then you are pretty morally represensible. And watching a privileged wife of a banker taking and taking and taking brand freebies that she could so easily afford galls. Especially when you are living on the breadline and slowly dying. But thanks for rubbing it in
and making me feel even worse about my (limited) existence and what is likely to be my pathetic, non Emma mattress death Deborah. Ironically, I have no real hard feelings towards this woman. Just sadness really. I don't know why people would want to rub this inequality in people's faces - you're meant to be on our side!?

*morally reprehensible

And I want to add to the above that I am in NO WAY trying to be nasty. I just wish these influencers would think about what they are doing beyond making a bit of extra cash. While they are no doubt helping some people, they're making others feel so much worse.

nothing but sending hugs to you xx
Your point is right, I don’t think anyone dislikes Deborah, she seems like a nice woman who loves her family but it seems Instagram and media fame has sort of gone to her head a bit and she’s willing to accept any kind of freebie. There’s a young girl I follow who also has stage 4 cancer, I’ve notice as her Instagram has grown she’s now accepting more freebies and starting to tag the bigger accounts Hinch/Solomon in her stories. Suddenly it’s becoming less about awareness and more about the freebies.

 

[Ellyjelly]

nothing but sending hugs to you xx
Your point is right, I don’t think anyone dislikes Deborah, she seems like a nice woman who loves her family but it seems Instagram and media fame has sort of gone to her head a bit and she’s willing to accept any kind of freebie. There’s a young girl I follow who also has stage 4 cancer, I’ve notice as her Instagram has grown she’s now accepting more freebies and starting to tag the bigger accounts Hinch/Solomon in her stories. Suddenly it’s becoming less about awareness and more about the freebies.

It’s making me feel quite sick tbh, it’s almost a bit of a clique cancer club thing going on, with the ‘popular’ ones in it The worst ones are the ones that actually are lucky enough to get an all clear yet somehow now want to hang on to their insta fame and become ‘body positive’ influencers.

 

[GossipBlue]

It’s making me feel quite sick tbh, it’s almost a bit of a clique cancer club thing going on, with the ‘popular’ ones in it The worst ones are the ones that actually are lucky enough to get an all clear yet somehow now want to hang on to their insta fame and become ‘body positive’ influencers.

Totally agree!! I did follow a young woman who got all clear and then every single post or story was her in her underwear saying she loved her body etc. What she didn’t realise is that you don’t have to prance about in your knickers and bra every single time you wanted to discuss body positivity. I had to unfollow!

 

[Little_Red_Rides]

Totally agree!! I did follow a young woman who got all clear and then every single post or story was her in her underwear saying she loved her body etc. What she didn’t realise is that you don’t have to prance about in your knickers and bra every single time you wanted to discuss body positivity. I had to unfollow!

I know exactly who this is and she fucked me off majorly too. Cancer is a tit club no one wants to be in- if you’re lucky enough to get the all clear please go and live your life and don’t start making money off your iconic london ads as an ex cancer patient.

 

[ComeSitNextToMe]

I know exactly who this is and she fucked me off majorly too. Cancer is a tit club no one wants to be in- if you’re lucky enough to get the all clear please go and live your life and don’t start making money off your iconic london ads as an ex cancer patient.

She grinds my gears that one!

 

[Sslb_18]

The latest ad for John Lewis has frustrated me - Its the fact she states Silk PJs as the perfect pressie at £130…
Unfortunately the majority of cancer patients do not have much financial security, so advertising £130 as an appropriate and acceptable amount to spend on a gift is insulting & maybe insensitive to some of her followers.
Even to those without cancer or other illnesses can’t afford £130 on a present.
She really needs to appreciate her audience before doing any old Ad!

 

[domaco16]

It really does my head in that many cancer Instagram pages go on to try and get some ‘fame’ and freebies. I’m in remission of cancer and have a blog on Instagram- and also follow hundreds of other cancer Instagramers.
there’s one - who when got to 10000 decided to ‘team up ‘ with some brands to do 2 giveaways to celebrate - then when she got the all clear she decided again to team up and do a giveaway! Surely just being happy to have been clear/ does not need a giveaway the same day!
also don’t get me started on the go fund me pages some have - this same lady has one and advertised it everyday -‘if everyone of my followers just gave a pound etc..’as she was so worried about money troubles - yet then booked a holiday to Las Vegas next year, and every post is out at a nice restaurant, winter wonderland etc.. makes me so mad tbh xx
Sorry I’ve ranted

 

[ExiledManc]

OMG. I agree best post on here. You should have your own insta account. I would love someone to do a story on her versus nhs working life reality. I've said and will say again somewhere along the line she's lost the cause she's now documenting her life albeit with with cancer but none the less a very privileged debt free worry free life. As you say she's on no ones side but her own, I've not seen her acknowledge anyone else suffering,empathise with their bowel cancer plight. It's just bowel babe trying to be a babe no matter what.

I think more people need to document the nhs reality. My son who is 12 has a rare disease we had to remortgage to get treatment overseas I don’t know where we would be if we hadn’t

 

[GossipBlue]

The latest ad for John Lewis has frustrated me - Its the fact she states Silk PJs as the perfect pressie at £130…
Unfortunately the majority of cancer patients do not have much financial security, so advertising £130 as an appropriate and acceptable amount to spend on a gift is insulting & maybe insensitive to some of her followers.
Even to those without cancer or other illnesses can’t afford £130 on a present.
She really needs to appreciate her audience before doing any old Ad!

Spot on!! She hasn’t got a clue. She should think of who her followers are - probably majority are cancer sufferers/survivors. She’s a knob!

 

[Richip16]

Plugging the Peleton bike again, god she has become insufferable. Whilst I'm sorry she has cancer, she has purposefully detracted from her Insta being about awareness. Sickening individual

 

[OliviaL]

God she is so annoying. Her latest stories - pure self obsession and promotion complete with ‘sexy’ shot in a hospital gown. Head wrecking.

 

[GossipBlue]

God she is so annoying. Her latest stories - pure self obsession and promotion complete with ‘sexy’ shot in a hospital gown. Head wrecking.

I thought the exact same. The story showing her planting a memorial card in the hospital garden was so obviously staged. The cameraman in the shot too made it look so disingenuous. She is a pro at posing that’s for sure.

 

[Sugarhoney]

I thought the exact same. The story showing her planting a memorial card in the hospital garden was so obviously staged. The cameraman in the shot too made it look so disingenuous. She is a pro at posing that’s for sure.

I thought the Christmas music she chose was also disrespectful and made it seem very disingenuous. I’ve followed her for a while and have only
Just seen this thread. She does my head in with me, me, me posts. She’s been through a lot and defied the odds which is absolutely amazing but she’s become yet another advert, another influencer. It’s just getting boring.

 

[michellew]

I’m finding her hard to deal with at the moment due to the 5 year thing. It was the same with her 40th birthday. She seems to say one thing (you’re not a statistic, do your own thing, don’t google survival stats or stories) and then rams home how she’s beaten the odds herself. I couldn’t count how many times in the last six months she’s quoted that 8% 5 yr survival stat - usually along side a hospital shot showing a pout/some flesh - and added that hers is aggressive so actually even less than 8% don’t you know.

Of course she should be happy with her survival - who wouldn’t be. And I don’t begrudge it. She’s had amazing care and it’s great that cancer treatments are meaning people live longer. I’m hoping some of this will help people I know who are terminal.

But sometimes the way even she talks about this seems tone deaf and slightly bragging (or at least not acknowledging the benefit she’s had from private care/her privilege). The fact these stories come in between sweaty Betty and John Lewis ads is even worse.

 

[maytoseptember]

My mum has stage 4 bowel cancer so I don’t need to keep hearing the 8% figure, quite honestly.

 

[michellew]

Exactly!! (And I’m sorry if me mentioning it triggered you maytoseptember). Sending love (I’m in a similar-ish situation).

I wonder if sometimes it’s because she has to churn out the Sun articles - the whole ‘doctors told me I’d be dead by now’ line seems to be repeatedly in those. Maybe she doesn’t have much else to write the column about anymore…

 

[maytoseptember]

Oh I wasn’t criticising you at all, I was agreeing with the point you made about Deborah going on about beating the odds etc etc. She’s beat the odds because she’s had all the benefits of private treatment.

 

[Cariad]

I’m finding her hard to deal with at the moment due to the 5 year thing. It was the same with her 40th birthday. She seems to say one thing (you’re not a statistic, do your own thing, don’t google survival stats or stories) and then rams home how she’s beaten the odds herself. I couldn’t count how many times in the last six months she’s quoted that 8% 5 yr survival stat - usually along side a hospital shot showing a pout/some flesh - and added that hers is aggressive so actually even less than 8% don’t you know.

Of course she should be happy with her survival - who wouldn’t be. And I don’t begrudge it. She’s had amazing care and it’s great that cancer treatments are meaning people live longer. I’m hoping some of this will help people I know who are terminal.

But sometimes the way even she talks about this seems tone deaf and slightly bragging (or at least not acknowledging the benefit she’s had from private care/her privilege). The fact these stories come in between sweaty Betty and John Lewis ads is even worse.

my brother died 3 years ago this weekend from stage 4 bowel cancer( 3 years after diagnosis) which had spread to his liver and brain ...he initially endured 8 hrs surgery , in hope it might be curable, and multiple chemotherapy sessions although sadly wasn't fortunate enough to have multiple options of private treatment like Deborah
ironic really as I work in cancer trials

 

[GossipBlue]

My mum has stage 4 bowel cancer so I don’t need to keep hearing the 8% figure, quite honestly.

So sorry to hear this. It must be very hard to watch and listen to someone who is so far detached from reality in some ways regarding her treatment. Sending love to you and your mum xx

 

[Stealingstyle]

Despite all our observations on how she promotes cancer and our disagreement in her approach think its fair to say it doesn't look like things are going smoothly for her now. It seems to be one set back after another