DAME Deborah James has passed the £6million mark on her charity fundraiser.
The hero campaigner initially hoped to raise £250,000 for Cancer Research UK after revealing she was receiving end-of-life-care, but today she smashed her target by more than 24 times.
The 40-year-old has had a whirlwind of a week since telling her Instagram fans on Monday that her body “simply isn’t playing ball” and she would no longer be having active bowel cancer treatment.
Instead, she is receiving hospice care at her parents’ home in Woking, Surrey.
But since then, she has been awarded a Damehood by Prince William and received thousands of donations for being “an inspiration to the world”.
And in the last few hours, donations have surged to tip her over a staggering £6m.
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Debs has captured hearts and inspired millions with honest account of the disease, her Sun columns and BBC podcast You, Me and the Big C.
And after raising millions for charity in the last week, she was made a Dame by the Duke of Cambridge personally on Friday.
She described his visit and receiving the honour, as well as the volume of donations, as “surreal, mind-blowing, and humbling“.
And despite getting “weaker and more tired” as the days go by, Debs has vowed to go out “with a massive smile, no regrets and a big glass of Champagne”.
Yesterday, she wrote on Instagram: “I believe I may have had the most surreal, mind-blowing, humbling five days of my life.
“I cannot thank you for your generosity at launching the Bowelbabe Fund, and to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge for going above and beyond to make a very special memory happen.
“Can’t quite believe I’m actually a Dame! My family are being amazing and as emotional as it all is, we are finding so much to smile about in the sadness.
“I may be getting weaker and more tired each [day], having run off pure adrenaline, but my word, I always said I wanted to slide in sideways when my time is up, with a massive smile, no regrets and a big glass of champagne! Still my intention!!!”
Mum-of-two Deborah revealed she would no longer receive active treatment for her cancer on Monday.
In a heartbreaking post she said medics had tried everything but her body “simply isn’t playing ball”, adding: “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.
“My body is so emaciated that I have no choice but to surrender to the inevitable.”
‘TENACIOUS DESIRE TO GIVE BACK’
Despite her condition, Deborah was determined to give her campaigning one final push and launched the Bowelbabe Fund to raise £250,000 for Cancer Research UK, The Royal Marsden and Bowel Cancer UK.
Last night, she had raised £5,770,777 on JustGiving – 2,308 per cent of her target.
And today her total stands at more than £6m.
Kate and Wills have publicly supported Deborah and donated to her fund.
They 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.
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@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.”
