Cancer campaigner and podcast host Deborah James awarded damehood

Downing Street said the Queen was pleased to approve the honour of damehood' for Deborah James for her work helping others with cancer

The cancer campaigner and podcast host Deborah James, who disclosed this week that she has moved to hospice-at-home care to treat her terminal bowel cancer, has been awarded a damehood, the government has confirmed.

James, 40, has raised more than 3.7m after setting up a Just Giving page to raise money for clinical trials, research, and raising awareness of bowel cancer.