Lorraine Kelly dresses up as a poo to honour Dame Deborah James at Cancer Research’s Race For Life

Lorraine Kelly dressed up as a poo as she ran the Race For Life on Wednesday (7 June) in honour of Dame Deborah James and her charity the Bowel Babe Fund. Deborah, known on social media as Bowelbabe, worked to raise awareness for bowel cancer after her diagnosis, and Lorraine has continued this work by raising both funds and awareness for the cause. 

Lorraine shared a snap to Instagram wearing her unique costume, she wrote: “Me and my fellow jobbies!! @vejk100 @thetittygritty - doing #raceforlife for @bowelbabefund Only Dame Deborah could get us to dress like this! CHECK YOUR POO!!” 

Fans took to the comments of the post to praise Lorraine for her work bringing awareness to the cause. One commented: “My dad has just had surgery for bowel cancer which he found out from doing the poo test through the post. He didn’t have a single symptom. Can’t Thank these tests enough luckily he found it early and will make a slow but full recovery.”

Another said: “Fabulous. Deborah would have loved this,” and a third added: “A great tribute to a wonderful woman. Awareness is saving lives.” 

Lorraine also shared clips from the race on her self-titled ITV breakfast show this morning  (8 June). She explained how the evening was “a very emotional one” for her and her team, as it was the first year that Deborah had not been at Race For Life following her death on 28 June 2022. 

The Scottish presenter said: “It’s important. It’s important for us to be here and to remember her legacy and to celebrate an amazing woman.” Deborah’s parents were also with Lorraine at the race, with her mum saying she believed Deborah would be smiling over them. 

Lorraine has not only carried on Deborah’s legacy through Race For Life but also through her ‘No Butts’ bowel cancer campaign, which she held for the third time earlier this year. As part of the campaign, the Lorraine Instagram account posted an infographic detailing five potential signs of bowel cancer:

- Blood in your poo or from your bottom

- Obvious change in your bowel habit

- Weight loss you can’t explain

- Extreme tiredness for no apparent reason

- Lump and/or pain in your tummy 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CrIfmKrrlTr/?hl=en

“It was amazing, and all for Deborah,” Lorraine said.