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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Lucy Buckland

Deborah James: 'I won't die over the Jubilee, I don’t want Meghan stealing my thunder'

Dame Deborah James is an inspiration to many, raising awareness and millions for cancer awareness in her dying days.

But she has one more mission to accomplish - and that's not letting anyone steal her thunder at the last hurdle.

Keeping her admirable wit and spark, the 40-year-old campaigner said today she refuses to let cancer beat her this Jubilee weekend - joking she doesn't want anyone - let alone Meghan Markle - steal her thunder.

(Instagram, Getty)

Speaking to The Sun, she said: "I'm determined not to die over the Jubilee weekend, I don’t want Meghan stealing my thunder,.

"I haven’t worked so hard to raise cancer awareness and money to help find a cure, only to miss out on another front page when I go.”

Deborah has changed the face of bowel cancer (Instagram/ @bowelbabe)

The podcast host known as Bowel Babe online, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2016 and is now at her parents' home in Woking to spend her final days surrounded by her family.

With her trademark honesty she added: "Dying is really hard. I’ve been consumed by anger this week, in all honesty, I’ve been a real b***h. I keep shouting at people and pushing them away. I’m angry at what’s happening to me. I don’t want to die.”

Taking to Instagram on Tuesday, Dame Deborah told fans about how she broke down in tears when her family surprised her with a "girly sleepover" with her daughter Eloise, 12, where they watched Cinderella.

Deborah won't let Meghan steal her thunder (Getty Images)

She wrote: "Making memories can be hard while you are dying! Oh the pressure!!. I’m now only getting some very grabbed hours between the sleeping and side effects, but this girly sleepover managed to put such a smile to my face having spent most of yesterday in tears!"

The podcast host has raised a staggering £6.5million for her bowel cancer fundraiser, three weeks after announcing she was receiving end-of-life care.

The Bowel Babe has raised over £6.5million for cancer charities (Instagram/ @bowelbabe)

Dame Deborah launched the fundraiser with an initial target of £250,000, but has surpassed her goal 26 times over after inspiring the nation.

Despite her declining health, Deborah has been an inspiration to many as she has launched her In The Style collection, been made a Dame and will be releasing a book.

Dame Deborah and her husband Sebastian Bowen have two children, Hugo, 14, and Eloise.

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