Deborah James says making memories ‘can be hard when you are dying’

The cancer campaigner took part in a teepee party this week

Dame Deborah James has raised more than £6.4 million for Cancer Research UK (Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)

Dame Deborah James has said she is finding it difficult to make memories with her family as she only has “some very grabbed hours” between “sleeping and side effects” of cancer.

In an update posted to Instagram on Tuesday 31 May, James shared a series of photographs from a “girly sleepover” with her family on Monday.

One photograph showed James smiling next to her sister, Sarah, her daughter Eloise and three other young girls.

A cosy set up with indoor teepes, fairy lights and bunting could be seen in the background.

In another, James appeared to be laughing as she leaned back against a cushion with an eye mask on her head.

Writing in the caption, James spoke candidly about how the late stages of cancer are impacting her daily routine.

The BBC podcast host and cancer campaigner, who was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2016, moved to hospice-at-home care earlier this month.

She also launched a BowelBabe Fund to raise money for Cancer Research UK. The fund has raised more than £6.6 million so far.

“Making memories can be hard [when] 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!” she wrote on Instagram.

James said she is getting “less and less able” to leave the house, or her bed, and has been feeling “pretty down about it”.

She said her sister had suggested a sleepover party, which was quickly arranged and set up by local Woking, Surrey-based company, Teepee Vibe Tribe.

“I was feeling awful after a bad day, so didn’t watch the setup of anything.

“Actually I just cried over my leaking drains next door! But with the help of my sister and [brother], managed to calm down and then they wheeled me into the room last night and yes, I cried over the fairy lights! Good tears!

“It was just perfect! I went from staying in my wheelchair to ending up everyone helping to get me into an actually teepee to watch Cinderella with the gang and sit there like a 5-year-old with a huge Cheshire Cat smile on my face next to my daughter and sister!”

James shared that Teepee Vibe Tribe refused to take payment, so she has donated the cost to the BowelBabe Fund instead.

“Today I sleep! But with another memory and a smile,” she added.