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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Bill McLoughlin

Deborah James jokes ‘she won’t die during the Jubilee’ but admits life is ‘really hard’

Deborah James remained in high spirits despite her situation

(Picture: Deborah James)

Dame Deborah James has joked she “won’t die over the Jubilee weekend” as she continues to campaign for cancer awareness.

The tireless campaigner - who was recently awarded a damehood - has spent her remaining days raising millions for research and said she didn’t want Meghan, Duchess of Sussex to “steal her thunder”.

Speakign 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.”

Dame Deborah with her husband (PA)

Despite taking a defiant tone to her situation, Dame Deborah said she “had been consumed by anger” recently.

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.”

The campaigner was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2016 and is now at her parents’ home in Woking, where she will spend her remaining time with her family.

Due to her tireless efforts, Dame Deborah has raised £6.5million for cancer research and has set an initial target of £250,000.

Earlier in the week, Dame Deborah was treated to a “girly sleepover” by her family.

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!”

Last month, she also visited the Chelsea Flower Show with her husband to see a rose which bears her name.

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