She tragically died last June at the age of 40, five years after being diagnosed with the disease. The beloved campaigner, known by her social media handle Bowelbabe and as a presenter of the You, Me And The Big C podcast, had been diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in 2016 and was told early on that she may not live beyond five years. ‘And she just said, “Will you sing at my funeral?” Well, how can you say no? I said, of course, and then that’s sort of where it all started.’Īfter hearing the song ring out in the church, the singer was approached by James’ parents to immortalise her version of the classic and so, a session was booked at Abbey Road Studios.ĭame Deborah James admirably raised money towards cancer charities after announcing that her own bowel cancer was terminal. ‘She was just telling me all the work she was still doing, even though she was so unwell and I was like, “Deborah, please, can I do something? Can I help you? Do you need anything?”

Natalie shared more details of the joyous day they experienced together at the famous racecourse: ‘We basically had the most wonderful, wonderful, lovely afternoon drinking and remembering good times. ‘Deborah and I made a pact that we would go to Ascot together if we both survived sepsis – because we had sepsis at the same time – and that was the last outing that she did.’ ‘When she saw it at her local theatre she knew that was a song that she wanted at her funeral.

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