Dame Deborah James says she's 'still living whilst dying' at glamorous night at the opera

Dame Deborah James has said she is giving a "still living whilst dying two fingers up to it all" at a glamorous date night at the opera with her husband.

The bowel cancer campaigner, who is currently receiving end-of-life care at home, shared some photos from their visit to Glyndebourne where she looked stunning in a dark silver gown and blue velvet headband, while her husband Sebastian Bowen stood beside her in a tux.

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She wrote on Instagram: "Another day, brings another excuse to spend half of it exhausting myself getting dressed up to go to one of my favourite places!!!! @glyndebourne to watch #laboheme - But totally worth it. Thank you @glyndebourne for being so lovely and welcoming tonight -doing all this in a wheelchair is certainly a new challenge to learn!"

She added: "I can’t believe I was last here 5 years ago this week - scared, newly diagnosed, just trying to do the same as I’m doing now - taking things one day at a time!!"

Dame Deborah wrote that while it had been a huge effort to get ready for the trip to the opera, it was all worth it and a "cheeky two fingers up" to her terminal diagnosis.

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She wrote: "But be under no illusion! I’m knackered! I’ve worked out it takes me longer to get ready and organised to go than the time I actually last anywhere!! Getting dressed is tiring, getting meds organised is tiring, the extra moving, the travel, the wondering what mood your stomach is in - its all real!

"But then the feeling of making it to something you didn’t think possible, having put make up on, donning new shoes (that finally arrived in the right size for massively swollen feet!), with the sunshine smiling - well then it’s all worth it! It’s a kind of cheeky “still living whilst dying” two fingers up to it all!!"

Earlier in the week, Dame Deborah appeared on Lorraine in a recorded interview where she said that she had already outlived the prognosis she had been given when sent home from hospital.

She said: "I think just continuing to feel blessed to have another day knowing that my time is limited but at the same time, if truth be told, I've already outlived yet again what I was told when I was sent home from the hospital, so I think already even I'm a bit surprised, but I think it's having that sense of purpose.

"Getting involved. Continuing with the campaigning is keeping me going."

Watch: Deborah James - I'm still alive and kicking