RIP Deborah Orr

Yes, I am very sad that she didn’t live to see her book out, it comes out in January.
How old are her sons ?
It is tragically young, she would have been a wonderful, fierce old lady.

She seemed quite perky in her last tweets but she did also mention having an infection, I don't know what stage of cancer she was at.

Stage 4. She had a terrible, shocking experience - a few years ago she had breast cancer, then about 14 months ago she started going to her GP with severe back pains. Her GP surgery fobbed her off for a whole year until this August she was crippled with pain, was taken to A&E (I think) where it emerged that her cancer had metastasied to her bones. I've been following her tweets since then and I don't think she'd been out of hospital since that diagnosis, though she was moved from one of the London hospitals to the Royal Sussex, so she could be near her new home - though she never actually had the chance to move in.

It did seem clear to me from the tweets that she was fairly near the end, simply because they hadn't let her out of hospital. She also mentioned at one point that the hospital were talking about palliative care, which is something you normally only get in the last few weeks. Even so, it was a huge shock. It's such a loss, and must be unbearable for her children.

It is heartbreaking that so much went wrong for her in the last few years - her acrimonious split from Will Self and being sacked by the Guardian. I'm so sorry that she didn't live to see publication of her book, which by all accounts is wonderful.

So sad. Glad she'd seen the wonderful review of her book. RIP brilliant woman.

Oh no, so sorry to hear it. Much love to her loved ones

I'm terribly sad to hear this: we had chatted a little on Twitter, as our symptoms were similar. She was really a lovely lady, and I admired her verve and spirit.

Her writing punctuated my life. Gone too soon.

Just saw this in the Graun
I always read her columns - a really engaging journalist

RIP Deborah. So glad you got to see and be thrilled by your book review.

Very sad news.

Oh this is so sad. What a waste.
RIP Deborah, you are an inspiration.

It has saddened me to read of her passing. Doesn't seem that long back that she was a buzz with heading to Brighton, happy to see her book being reviewed etc.

Thoughts to her family and friends.

She seemed quite perky in her last tweets but she did also mention having an infection, I don't know what stage of cancer she was at.

Fantastic woman, may she rest in peace.

Her lovely ex wrote an article about how indignant he was that he wasn’t allowed to trespass through the grounds of a private Tertiary College. The security guard was completely out of order, apparently, and couldn’t understand why EX had to use the public road as it was a longer route. This college is near me and the security guard was a local legend for a while (in a good way).

Sorry to hijack but ex really is an arse. Oh Deborah. So sad 😢

No! I had no idea she was so ill. I follow her on Twitter, but haven't been on in a while. She was a wonderful journalist, I had so much respect for her. Such a sad thing to hear.

RIP

Oh I’m legitimately gutted about that. I’ve been a huge fan of Deborah’s for years. RIP.

Sleep well, Deborah. :( Another brilliant woman taken far too soon.

R.I.P. She was an excellent writer with a lot to put up with. Had been following her tweets and hoped she’d be able to make it to her new house. But at least she did see how well her memoir was being received, albeit before publication.

I’m just. I’m a bit speechless. It took me a while to find a feminist crowd but when I did, I read everything I could lay my hands on. I read a lot of Deborah’s Guardian columns and had my world inexorably broadened. I learned a huge amount from her. I read the Guardian pretty much for her and Hadley Freeman, plus the odd article by others. I’m so sorry to hear she didn’t make it.

To Deborah’s family, in case you ever see it;
She was brilliant, she was wonderful and she was a fabulous writer. Sending loads of love at a totally shitty time

Oh no. She had tweeted that she was very ill so would be off twitter for a while, and then reappeared and seemed to be more cheerful. How sad. RIP. Gone but not forgotten.

Oh no, this is so sad. She was so clever and funny. She deserved better in this life.

This is very sad. I've read her for years.

She was such a wonderful writer and determined woman. Life seemed to be very unfair to her and her ex was (and probably still is) horrendous.I wish she'd been able to enjoy her new house and see her book published. Although it's lovely that she did get to see finished copies and read positive reviews.
RIP Deborah

All love to her friends and family. Amazing woman.

An amazing woman, my thoughts are with her darling boys

Such a loss. Such a great writer.