BBC News presenter Maryam Moshiri has announced she received a diagnosis of an incurable blood cancer.
The journalist, who is 49 years old, learned she had polycythaemia vera in November 2024 and has been undergoing treatment since that time.
Polycythaemia vera is a rare form of blood cancer that causes the bone marrow to produce excessive red blood cells, resulting in thickened blood.
In an interview with The Times, Moshiri explained that the condition would remain with her permanently.
She described needing to continue with daily life as a significant aspect of managing the illness.
Her initial therapeutic approach involved venesection, a procedure during which nearly a pint of blood is extracted from a vein to decrease red blood cell concentration.
This process was required approximately twice monthly.
Subsequently, she commenced immunotherapy treatment using interferon, which decreased the frequency of venesection procedures but produced considerable adverse effects, including sleep disturbance, headaches, and severe skin irritation.
Moshiri stated that the itching became so intense she bled through her clothing and now bears scars across her abdomen.
After several months, she transitioned to an alternative medication with reduced side effects.
Despite her medical situation and continued treatment, Moshiri has maintained her professional responsibilities, including anchoring the BBC’s coverage of Pope Francis’s death while reporting from Rome.
She described working lengthy shifts of 14 hours, remaining on air continuously and thinking quickly while managing chronic exhaustion.
She noted that the adrenaline associated with live news broadcasting enables journalists to function despite fatigue.
While adapting to a lifestyle involving regular hospital visits and medication proved difficult, Moshiri indicated she considered this preferable to the alternative.
She acknowledged that managing the condition required psychological adjustment.
On social media, Moshiri expressed gratitude for the chance to raise awareness about her condition in hopes of assisting others.
She declared her support for Blood Cancer UK’s Here for This initiative, which aims to highlight experiences that individuals with blood cancer may miss due to demanding treatment regimens and hospital stays, while also recognising achievements made possible through research and improved therapies.
She stated she was pleased to be in a position to share her experience and thanked her medical team, family, friends, colleagues, and supporters during the preceding two years.
Moshiri urged others affected by blood cancer to contact Blood Cancer UK, which provides a helpline at 0808 2080 888.