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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Susan Knox

Brave Deborah James honoured with Damehood after raising £3.9million for bowel cancer

Brave Deborah James has been awarded a Damehood after she raised a staggering £3.6million for bowel cancer while in hospice care.

The bowel cancer campaigner revealed her shock at being made a Dame as she told: “OMFG, this is crazy.”

"I don’t know what to say. I’m blown away and feel incredibly honoured.

“I don’t feel like I deserve this. I can’t tell you what this means to my family, it’s so much to take in.”

Dame Deborah has already raised a staggering £3.6million since announcing her five-year fight with bowel cancer is almost up.

Dame Deborah has already raised a staggering £3.6million (Instagram/ @bowelbabe)
Deborah has been honoured with a Damehood (bowelbabe/Instagram)

Deborah is now determined to reach £5million by the end of the weekend.

"It’s surpassed all expectations. I’d love to get it to £5million by the end of the weekend," the brave star told.

In a statement, Downing Street said the Queen was 'pleased to approve the honour of damehood' be conferred upon Deborah.

The presenter of the BBC podcast You, Me And The Big C revealed on Monday she is receiving end-of-life care for bowel cancer.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised the mother-of-two for her work helping others with cancer.

Deborah is now in hospice care (Deborah James/Instagram)

Johnson said: "If ever an honour was richly deserved, this is it. Deborah has been an inspiration and her honesty, warmth and courage has been a source of strength to so many people.

"Through her tireless campaigning and by so openly sharing her experience she has not only helped in our fight against this terrible disease, she has ensured countless others with the Big C have not felt alone.

"I hope this recognition from Her Majesty - backed I'm sure by the whole country - will provide some comfort to Deborah and her family at this difficult time. My thoughts are with them and Deborah should know she has the country's love and gratitude."

The 40-year-old star has told that hospice has advised her that she could have 'weeks at most', left with her beautiful family.

On Monday, BBC presenter Deborah shared a heartbreaking health update, confirming that she is now in hospice care and is spending her time surrounded by her family and friends.

The brave star, who has battled stage 4 bowel cancer for almost five years, took to Twitter to share the devastating update with her beloved fans and followers.

The mum-of-two said that although she has been fighting her illness for five years, it's not easy to accept.

The much-loved BBC star penned: "The tweet I never wanted to write. The time has come to say goodbye.

"It has been 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 wine to see me out and raise vital funds."

Brave Deborah, who has documented her cancer journey on social media under the name 'bowel babe' has seen her BowelBabe Fund hit a staggering £3.6 million after she revealed her last wishes this week.

Deborah urged people to donate to the fundraiser - at bowelbabe.org - as she revealed she had been moved to hospice care at home following her five year battle with cancer.

Her fundraiser skyrocketed to a whopping £250,000 shortly after going live.

And it has now reached over a staggering £3.6million in just four days.

Deborah has said that she's 'blown away' by the generosity of people (Dave Benett/Getty Images)

Deborah has said that she's 'blown away' by the generosity of people as she continues to fight her illness.

The Bowelbabe Fund for Cancer Research UK is Deborah’s final endeavour of many to support research into bowel cancer.

The fundraiser website reads: “All money raised will be allocated, with the support of CRUK [Cancer Research UK] to funding causes and projects that I really care about,”

* You can visit Deborah's Bowelbabe fundraising page here.

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