Chesham's Nighat Arif pays tribute to the late Deborah James

Nighat Arif, who became a prominent figure during the Covid-19 pandemic for her advice and positivity, spoke on the programme a day after the journalist’s passing.

Ms James died bowel cancer in the evening of June 28 aged 40 after battling the illness for the last six years.

Nighat Arif on BBC Breakfast on June 29 spoke about how Deborah James contacted her during the Covid-19 pandemic

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Following her diagnosis, she spoke candidly about her cancer journey and raised millions of pounds through her bowelbabe.org charity, with the money going towards Cancer Research.

On @BBCBreakfast highlighting the legacy of #DameDeborahJames. @jonkay01 is right she would have said “give us a smile” 😊

I’ll be buying the Dame a drink later, just as she wanted ⤵️https://t.co/N42rvf08OJ#BBCBreakfastGP @goodgrieftrust pic.twitter.com/HKPx94X7cY

— 𝑫𝒓 𝑵𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑨𝒓𝒊𝒇 (@DrNighatArif) June 29, 2022

At the time of her death, an amazing £6.9m was donated towards the cause, with that amount expected to increase before the end of the month.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast on June 29, Arif said: "We were going through a difficult time back in 2020 when we were rolling out the vaccine programme.

Dame Deborah James, with her husband Sebastien Bowen, during a private tour at the Chelsea Flower Show on Tuesday evening. Dame Deborah visited the show with her husband to see a rose which bears her name ( Harkness Rose Company/PA)

"And I came on here [BBC Breakfast] and I must have not looked myself, because usually, I'm quite cheerful and quite happy.

The tweet I never wanted to write. The time has come to say goodbye. 5 years to prepare, doesn’t make it any easy. I’m under hospice at home care, & I’m spending my time surrounded by my family. Please buy me a 🍷 to see me out and raise vitial funds. https://t.co/AztN5FziLR ❤️

— Deborah James (@bowelbabe) May 9, 2022

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"On Instagram, she reached out to me and said, 'please don't lose your smile, because you're giving us hope in our household just watching you on BBC Breakfast throughout the pandemic.’

“I have to say, even after 15 years as a clinician, when I know that a patient has a diagnosis and they're going to pass away, I'm always still shocked that this has happened and this is going to take a little bit of time to sink in, to know that she's not with us anymore."

A screengab of James' BowelBabe Instagram account after he was awarded a DBE

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In the final few weeks of her life and following an increase of exposure for the charity, James was awarded as a DBE by Prince William, Duke of Cambridge at her family home.