Maryam Moshiri, a BBC News presenter, announced she has been diagnosed with polycythaemia vera, a rare form of blood cancer that cannot be cured but can be managed through treatment. The condition was identified last November following routine blood tests.
Polycythaemia vera affects approximately 8,000 people in the UK and carries an increased risk of blood clots that can lead to stroke, heart attack, or deep vein thrombosis. Moshiri initially experienced no symptoms and was unprepared for the diagnosis, describing the moment she learned it was incurable as “a cruel blow.”
The presenter has experienced various symptoms associated with the condition, including headaches, blurred vision, fatigue, night sweats, and burning sensations in the hands and feet. She began treatment with daily aspirin and regular venesections, a procedure that removes blood through a needle inserted into an arm vein to reduce red blood cell count.
While the initial treatments proved effective, Moshiri struggled with persistent exhaustion, particularly challenging given the demands of live news broadcasting. She subsequently switched to Pegasys, a weekly injection treatment that continues to be effective, though fatigue remained a side effect. Moshiri stated she was disclosing her diagnosis to raise awareness about blood cancer, noting that public understanding often fails to recognize it as a chronic condition requiring ongoing management rather than a condition that can be completely resolved through treatment.
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