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Cancer campaigner Deborah James honoured with a damehood
Deborah announced the end of her cancer treatment on Monday night
Cancer campaigner and podcast host Deborah James has been honoured with a damehood, the government announced last night.
Since announcing the tragic news that she had been moved to end of life hospice care to manage her terminal bowel cancer, Deborah has raised over £4m for her newly established Bowel Babe Fund.
The charity will raise money for charities close to Deborah’s heart, including Cancer Research UK, Bowel Cancer UK and The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.
A statement posted onto the Gov.uk website last night read: “The Queen has been pleased to approve that the honour of Damehood be conferred upon Deborah James.”
After she was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in 2016, the mother-of-two become heavily involved in charity work to raise money and awareness for cancer research, growing a loyal fan base on Instagram where she is known as Bowel Babe.
But on Monday evening, she shared the ‘message I never wanted to write’, announcing that her treatment had been stopped and she had been moved into hospice at home care.
In an emotional Instagram post, James wrote: “We have tried everything, but my body simply isn’t playing ball.
“My active care has stopped and I am now moved to hospice at home care, with my incredible family all around me and the focus is on making sure I’m not in pain and spending time with them.
“Nobody knows how long I’ve got left but I’m not able to walk, I’m sleeping most of the days, and most things I took for granted are pipe dreams.
“I know we have left no stone unturned. But even with all the innovative cancer drugs in the world or some magic new breakthrough, my body just can’t continue anymore.”
She admitted that while her situation is ‘heartbreaking to be going through’, she is surrounded by so much love that ‘if anything can help me through I hope that will’.
Deborah went on to share her fundraiser, writing: “All I ask if you ever read a column, followed my Instagram, listened to the podcast or saw me dressed as a poo for no reason. Please buy me a drink to see me out this world, by donating the cost to @bowelbabefund which will enable us to raise funds for further life saving research into cancer.”