Cancer-stricken BBC podcaster Deborah James says she is ‘blown away’ at fundraising efforts [Video]

Nobody knows how long I’ve got left’: Cancer-stricken BBC podcaster Deborah James, 40, says ‘the time has come to say goodbye’ as she is surrounded by family in hospice care after raising £1million in 24 hours
BBC podcaster Deborah James, 40, has shared a heartbreaking post announcing she has moved to hospice
The mother-of-two, who lives in London, has been battling stage four bowel cancer for five years
Her new charity fund, Bowelbabe Fund for Cancer Research UK, has surpassed £1million in donations
The former deputy head teacher shared the update message with fans on Instagram yesterday afternoon
She said she was ‘mainly sleeping’, saying: ‘We have tried everything, but my body simply isn’t playing ball’
Deborah went on to reveal she would be spending her final days surrounded by ‘incredible family’

Cancer-stricken BBC podcast host Deborah James has made the heartbreaking revelation that she is in hospice care and that ‘nobody knows how long I’ve got left’.

In an emotional ‘goodbye’ post, the 40-year-old ‘You, Me and the Big C’ presenter, who was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2016, last night revealed that she is ‘surrounded by family’ at home and is ‘sleeping most of the day’.

In a heartbreaking Instagram post yesterday, the mother-of-two wrote: ‘The message I never wanted to write. We have tried everything, but my body simply isn’t playing ball.

‘My active care has stopped and I am now moved to hospice at home care, with my incredible family all around me and the focus is on making sure I’m not in pain and spending time with them.

‘Nobody knows how long I’ve got left but I’m not able to walk, I’m sleeping most of the days, and most things I took for granted are pipe dreams. 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.’

But showing strength in the face of adversity, the former deputy head teacher turned campaigner, who has been living with stage four bowel cancer since she was diagnosed in December 2016, today followed up her post with a thank you to those who backed her new fundraising campaign.

Alongside her post, Deborah announced the ‘Bowelbabe Fund’ for Cancer Research – originally aiming to raise £250,000. But within hours the total had rocketed beyond that target – and as of 10am today had reached a staggering £1milllion.

Today she said she had been ‘utterly blown away’ by the generosity of those who had backed her fundraising drive. She wrote: ‘I never in my wildest dreams thought we’d be waking up to this total 24 hours later. I’m actually crying!

In another post about the GoFundMe page, she added: ‘I’m utterly blown away by your generosity over the last 12 hours!

‘To think you have raised over £600,000 for vital research is just filling me with so much love. You are the kindest people. Thank you.’

Her latest social media posts comes after tributes poured in for the ‘courageous’ BBC 5 Live podcast host following her heartbreaking ‘goodbye’ message yesterday.

Tributes poured in for the podcaster, with fans and colleagues celebrating her work raising awareness of bowel cancer and helping ‘break the stigma’ of the ‘Big C’.

Her podcast co-host, Lauren Mahon, shared a lengthy tribute on Instagram, saying that hearts have been ‘shattered into thousands of pieces’ by Deborah’s announcement and are simultaneously ‘completely bursting with pride’.

‘I think it’s been the rebellious hope in me.’

Tributes to Deborah called her a ‘true inspiration’ and a ‘force to be reckoned with’ when it came to talking about bowel cancer.

Her podcast co-host, Lauren Mahon, shared a lengthy tribute on Instagram, saying that hearts have been ‘shattered into thousands of pieces’ by Deborah’s announcement and are simultaneously ‘completely bursting with pride’.

Ms Mahon said that she is ‘not ready to accept what’s happening right now’ and asked for people to keep Deborah’s parents, siblings and family in their ‘hearts, thoughts and prayers’.

She also urged people to support the new fundraising campaign, Bowelbabe Fund, for Cancer Research UK.

Co-host Steve Bland, the husband of the late BBC journalist Rachael Bland, who originally started the podcast to document her battle with breast cancer, also paid tribute to Deborah.

He said in an Instagram post: ‘Where to even start… I’ll leave everything I want to say for another time. Just so proud of this wonderful, inspirational woman that I get to call one of my best friends.’

Responding to news that Deborah’s fundraiser had reached more than £1million, he added: ‘Do not adjust your sets. Bowelbabe has raised over one million pounds. We are not done there though are we?