Deborah James has been honoured with a damehood after she inspired the nation and raised more than £4 million for her cancer research fundraising initiative in less than a week.
Ms James, renowned for her BBC podcast, You, Me and the Big C, revealed on Monday that she had started end-of-life care for bowel cancer.
The 40-year-old, known online as Bowel Babe after campaigning to raise awareness of the disease, has raised more than 16 times her original £250,000 goal for Cancer Research UK.
Her JustGiving page reached the milestone after donations from more than 220,000 supporters, including high-profile figures such as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
“I don’t know what to say. I’m blown away and feel incredibly honoured", the 41-year-old mother of two said of her damehood on Thursday night.
“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," she told The Sun.
No 10 confirmed that Ms James is to be made a dame, saying: "The Queen has been pleased to approve that the honour of damehood be conferred upon Deborah James."
Boris Johnson said the gong was "richly deserved".
"Deborah has been an inspiration and her honesty, warmth and courage has been a source of strength to so many people", the Prime Minister said.
“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.”
Ms James, a former deputy headmistress, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2016 and has kept her more than 500,000 Instagram followers up to date with her treatments.
The podcast host announced on Monday she had set up the Bowelbabe Fund.
In an Instagram post she said she did not know how long she had left, and that while the last six months had been "heartbreaking" to go through, she had been surrounded by "so much love" and had "no regrets".
Ms James wrote: "I always knew there was one thing I always wanted to do before I died.
"I have always over the years raised as much awareness and money for the charities that are closest to me. @cr-uk @royalmarsden @bowelcanceruk
"As a result, the @bowelbabefund is being established and I'd love nothing more than for you to help it flourish. Please visit bowelbabe.org for all the info and to donate (link in Bio)."
On Wednesday, Mr James warned her husband not to "marry a bimbo" but says she wants him to move on, as she gave a final interview after starting end-of-life care for bowel cancer.
Discussing her husband in an interview with The Times, Ms James said: "I have given him strict instructions: I want him to move on. He’s a handsome man. I’m like, 'Don’t be taken for a ride, don’t marry a bimbo, find someone else who can make you laugh like we did.'"
Ms James, a former deputy headmistress, has been married to Sebastian Bowen, a City banker, since 2008. The couple have two children together.
She said they were both working flat-out and would occasionally bicker when she was first diagnosed, but they had since become inseparable.
"I don’t think I have ever seen my husband so emotional; but now he has suddenly realised the enormity of this," she said.
