Deborah James’ fundraiser to raise money for Cancer Research UK has reached a staggering £3million, as the fund continues to gain traction after her move to hospice care.

Last night, Prince William and Kate Middleton announced that they had donated towards the fund, as they shared a heartfelt message for Deborah, 40, after her bowel cancer treatment was stopped.

In their message, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge wrote: ‘Every now and then, someone captures the heart of the nation with their zest for life & tenacious desire to give back to society. @bowelbabe is one of those special people. Her tireless efforts to raise awareness of bowel cancer & end the stigma of treatment are inspiring.’

The You, Me & The Big C presenter was diagnosed with the disease in 2016, using her platform for several years to speak out about her diagnosis and urge others to keep a lookout for symptoms of bowel cancer.

As of Thursday morning, the Bowelbabe Fund for Cancer Research UK, which was set up to help ‘fund clinical trials and research into personalised medicine for cancer patients and support campaigns to raise awareness of bowel cancer’, had surpassed £3.3million, from over 185,000 supporters.

In the message they posted in honour of Deborah, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge wrote that they were ‘so sad to hear her recent update but pleased to support the @bowelbabef, which will benefit the @royalmarsdenNHS among others’.

Deborah has been treated at the Royal Marsden hospital, of which the duke is patron.

On her Instagram Story, Deborah said she was ‘blown away’ by the royal couple’s message and donation.

In the emotional final episode of the podcast You, Me and the Big C, she revealed that she didn’t know how long she was expected to live after her cancer treatment came to an end, saying it could be ‘weeks at most’.

Speaking with her producer Mike, she explained that she didn’t want to be at her home in London when she dies, choosing to be at her parents’ bungalow surrounded by greenery instead to spare her children ‘scars’.

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Talking about her home in the English capital, she said: ‘Don’t get me wrong it’s a lovely place, but I also think it’s not right for me, but it means the kids can go back there…they don’t have those medical equipment scars based everywhere.

‘It can continue to be their home without those memories, which might possibly be a good thing.’

On Monday, Deborah shared a heartbreaking post on social media, saying it was one she ‘never wanted to write’, as she explained that her 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,’ she wrote.

‘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.’

Macmillan cancer support

If you or someone you care about has been diagnosed with cancer, Macmillan can offer support and information.

You can contact their helpline on 0808 808 00 00 (7 days a week from 8am to 8pm), use their webchat service, or visit their site for more information.

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