Dame Deborah James says there's 'so much to smile about in the sadness' but is 'getting weaker'

Podcaster Dame Deborah James has reflected on the most 'mind blowing' five days of life after being awarded a damehood. The inspirational 40-year-old, known online as Bowel Babe, was honoured for her 'tireless campaigning' to raise awareness of bowel cancer.

Prince William popped in for afternoon tea at her family home as he awarded the cancer campaigner with her damehood. Dame Deborah has raised millions for Cancer Research UK through her Bowelbabe fund on Just Giving.

Having set her original target at £250,000, she has now issued an update on the fund after her special day meeting Prince William on Friday (May 14). She told fans that the fund now stands at £5.7million.

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"I believe I may have had the most surreal, mind blowing, humbling 5 days of my life," she wrote on her Instagram. "I cannot thank you for your generosity at launching the @bowelbabefund which now stands at £5.7 million, and to the @dukeandduchessofcambridge for going above and beyond to make a very special memory happen yesterday."

Sharing her joy at becoming a Dame she wrote: "Can’t quite believe im 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."

The presenter of popular BBC podcast You, Me And The Big C disclosed on Monday that she had moved to hospice-at-home care to treat her terminal bowel cancer. Dame Deborah, a former headteacher, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2016 and has kept her followers up to date with her treatments.

She said: "I may be getting weaker and more tired each tired having run off pure adrenaline, but my word, I always said I wanted to