There’s no doubt that Dame Deborah James is a fighter, but even she has admitted she is ‘surprised’ she’s still here after being moved into end of life hospice care last month.
The 40-year-old campaigner was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2016 but was recently told by doctors there was nothing else they could do for her.
Sharing an update on how she’s been doing, Dame Deborah said she is ‘stable’ and ‘taking life slowly’.
‘I’m taking life day by day and just continuing to feel blessed to have another day knowing that my time is limited,’ she told Lorraine in a pre-recorded video that aired on Thursday’s episode.
‘At the same time, if truth be told, I’ve already outlived, yet again, what I was told when I was sent home from the hospital.’
‘Even I’m a bit surprised,’ she added. ‘But I think it’s having that sense of purpose, getting involved, continuing with the campaigning which is keeping me going.’
Dame Deborah also said that while she’s physically quite tired, she’s mentally still a campaigner.
‘I’m still asking people to check their poo, I’m still on it about getting that messaging on loo roll across the country,’ she continued.
Dame Deborah – who last month was honoured with a damehood from the Duke of Cambridge – has raised more than £6.6million for Cancer Research UK, Bowel Cancer UK and the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity through her Bowelbabe fund on Just Giving.
The podcaster set herself an initial target of £250,000 and has received donations from a huge number of supporters.
Last week, she said she felt ‘angry’ but added that she gets joy at doing things such as helping her family cook and getting ready in the morning.
‘Dying is really hard. I’ve been consumed by anger this week, in all honesty, I’ve been a real bitch,’ she told The Sun.
‘I keep shouting at people and pushing them away. I’m angry at what’s happening to me. I don’t want to die.’
Donate to Dame Deborah James’ Bowelbabe fund
You, Me & The Big C podcast host Dame Deborah James has admirably raised money towards cancer charities after announcing that her own bowel cancer was now terminal.
She is now receiving end-of-life hospice care at home due to her cancer treatment being stopped last month.
With the support of Cancer Research UK (CRUK), Dame Deborah and her family established the Bowelbabe Fund, with all money raised to be allocated to funding clinical trials and research into personalised medicine that could result in new treatments for cancer patients, including projects in collaboration with partners such as The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) and The Royal Marsden. Donations will also go towards continued support to raise awareness of cancer, such as Bowel Cancer UK’s Never Too Young campaign.
At the start of June, the fund had so far raised £6.6million to go towards clinical trials and research into personalised medicine for cancer patients and supporting campaigns to raise awareness of bowel cancer.
You can donate via the Just Giving link here.
Lorraine airs weekdays at 9am on ITV.
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