THE Queen said she was “pleased” to make inspirational Deborah James a Dame after an outpouring of love from the nation.
Known as Bowel Babe, the Sun columnist has raised a staggering amount for charity in a matter of days.
Deborah James has raised millions for charity in a matter of days
The Queen agreed to make her a Dame after her sterling efforts
The 40-year-old has been living with bowel cancer since 2016, and has raised more than £4million since Monday.
Last night, Number 10 confirmed that Deborah is to be made a dame after the Sun led the calls for the honour to be bestowed.
Downing Street said: “The Queen has been pleased to approve that the honour of damehood be conferred upon Deborah James.”
The news came days after Deborah revealed to her army of supporters she had stopped active care and was at her parent’s house.
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Hero cancer campaigner Deborah James told of her shock at being made a Dame saying: “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.”
Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace and No 10 pulled out all the stops to honour the mum of two who has written for The Celeb Report about her treatment and life since being diagnosed.
Prince William is thought to have been the driving force behind the honour.
He worked behind the scenes to make sure that she got her damehood.
A source said: “William and Katherine were extremely moved by Deborah’s story, both being parents themselves, and were blown away by her campaign.”
The Cambridges earlier tweeted: “Every now and then, someone captures the heart of the nation with their zest for life and tenacious desire to give back to society. @bowelbabe is one of those special people. Deborah, our thoughts are with you, your family and your friends.
“Thank you for giving hope to so many who are living with cancer.”
She launched the Bowelbabe Fund, to raise money for Cancer Research UK, The Royal Marsden and Bowel Cancer UK.
It is her wish that the money goes to fund life-saving research to give hope to others — to help realise her long-held dream that her children might grow up in a world where all cancer can be cured.
Fronting our bowel cancer campaign, Deborah helped put pressure on the Government to change the law, lowering the screening age from 60 to 50.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed Dame Debs saying: “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.”
She has constantly informed people about the signs of cancer and her journey
The hero Sun columnist has raked in more than 16 times her original £250,000 goal for Cancer Research UK.
Determined Deborah now wants to reach the £5million milestone by the weekend.
She said: “It’s surpassed all expectations. I’d love to get it to £5million by the end of the weekend.”
Husband Seb said the outpouring of love, support and donations has been hugely uplifting and heartwarming for the family during “this extremely difficult time”.
He added: “It has brought a piercing ray of light and hope into this, the darkest of times.
“She has campaigned tirelessly, often through adversity, and being recognised with a Damehood is something that she would never have dreamt of, but it is so truly deserved.”
The podcaster says that the hospice has advised her that she could have ‘weeks at most’, left with her family.
Once ticking off her to-do list, which includes ‘death admin’, Deborah has vowed to relax and spend time with her family, her parents, husband Sebastien and her two children, Hugo and Eloise.
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“I want to die listening to my family, I just want to hear their banter and the normal buzz of life as I go”, she told The Times.
As emotional as she is, she said she doesn’t want her life to be a sad story and has no regrets.
“I could have regretted putting my life on show and stripping off to my knickers for bowel cancer but I don’t regret it, I met incredible people and felt I was making an impact.”
The mum-of-two is now at her parent’s house after stopping hospital care
She is spending time with her family after launching the charity fund
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