Maryam Moshiri, a BBC News presenter, has announced she was diagnosed with polycythaemia vera (PV), a rare form of blood cancer classified as incurable, last November. The condition affects roughly 8,000 people in the UK and carries an elevated risk of blood clots that may result in stroke, heart attack, or deep vein thrombosis.
Moshiri indicated she initially had minimal symptoms and did not expect such a diagnosis. She subsequently experienced various manifestations of the condition, including headaches, blurred vision, fatigue, night sweats, and burning sensations in the hands and feet. She described waves of exhaustion that would overtake her following demanding work shifts, comparing the sensation to having her energy completely depleted.
Treatment began with daily aspirin and regular venesections, a procedure where blood is drawn from a vein in the arm to lower red blood cell counts. While these approaches proved effective in managing the condition, Moshiri continued to experience significant tiredness. She later transitioned to Pegasys, a weekly injection treatment, which she reported still caused fatigue but demonstrated greater effectiveness overall. Managing the chronic condition alongside work in a high-pressure live news environment presented considerable challenges.
Moshiri stated she is disclosing her diagnosis to increase awareness about blood cancer and to counter misconceptions about the disease. She emphasized that for many patients, blood cancer represents a chronic ongoing condition rather than an illness resolved through treatment, requiring individuals to adapt their daily lives around ongoing medical management and associated side effects. She indicated her disclosure was undertaken in support of the charity Blood Cancer UK.
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