Dame Deborah James’ fund donates £1million for cutting-edge X-ray scanner at cancer hospital

DAME Deborah James’ fund donated £1million for a cutting-edge X-ray scanner at a cancer hospital.

The gift ensures the campaigning Sun columnist’s legacy lives on — two years after her death from bowel cancer.

The state-of-the-art interventional radiology machine arrived at the Royal Marsden Hospital in West London for Christmas.

There to see it were Dame Debs’ mum Heather, dad Alistair, sister Sarah and husband Sebastien Bowen.

Alistair said his daughter, who launched the Bowelbabe Fund weeks before her death at 40 in 2022, would be thrilled.

He told The Sun: “It was brilliant to see something so modern and cutting-edge in place, ready to help others.

"It’s concrete proof of what the Bowelbabe Fund can achieve.”

The machine uses imaging techniques — championed by Dame Debs — to diagnose and treat cancer in a minimally invasive way, often instead of surgery.

Heather said: “Deborah wanted to fund research to help find better ways of treating cancer, so this is a really fitting way in which her legacy will continue on.”

The mum of two’s fund has raised £16million-plus. This Christmas was the family’s third without her.

Alistair added: “We all miss her terribly but Deborah loved Christmas and she’d be devastated if we let our grief ruin this special time.”

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