Maryam Moshiri, a prominent BBC News anchor who joined the organization in 2003, disclosed that she is managing polycythaemia vera, a rare blood cancer. Moshiri was diagnosed in November 2024 with the condition, which causes the body to produce excessive red blood cells, resulting in thicker blood than normal. The condition carries increased risk of blood clots that may lead to stroke, heart attack, or deep vein thrombosis. She noted that her diagnosis was discovered through routine blood tests ordered by her general practitioner, as she initially experienced minimal symptoms.
Moshiri underwent several rounds of venesection, a blood-drawing procedure performed through a needle in the arm to reduce blood thickness. She received approximately seven or eight venesection sessions over a five-month period, which resulted in significant fatigue, hair loss, itching, and severely depleted iron levels. Subsequently, she began treatment with interferon, an immunotherapy available through the National Health Service. After adjustments to her treatment regimen, Moshiri reported substantial improvement, requiring only one venesection session over approximately 15 months and experiencing better health outcomes in recent months compared to her previous two years.
Moshiri emphasized that while polycythaemia vera is incurable, it remains manageable with appropriate treatment, allowing patients to maintain relatively healthy lives. She acknowledged that the condition has fundamentally altered her existence, describing the fatigue as distinct from ordinary tiredness—a complete depletion of energy regardless of sleep obtained. Despite these challenges, Moshiri has continued international reporting for the BBC, covering major global events across multiple continents.
The presenter credited her family, including her husband and three children, as well as BBC management, for their support throughout her treatment journey. She expressed gratitude for her children’s understanding when she is unable to participate in activities due to exhaustion. Helen Rowntree, chief executive of Blood Cancer UK, praised Moshiri for speaking publicly about her diagnosis, noting that such visibility helps address the silence surrounding blood cancers, which represent the fifth most common cancer type in the United Kingdom and the third leading cancer-related cause of death.
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