Maryam Moshiri goes public about blood cancer to raise awareness
BBC News presenter Maryam Moshiri was diagnosed with polycythaemia vera in November 2024. This is a rare blood cancer.
BBC News presenter Maryam Moshiri is 49. She lives with polycythaemia vera, a rare blood cancer diagnosed two years ago.
She revealed this to raise awareness. In this condition, the body makes too many red blood cells.
This thickens the blood and raises the risk of blood clots, stroke and heart attack. Maryam Moshiri's diagnosis was caught only because her GP was thorough with routine blood tests.
She had no symptoms. She at first underwent several rounds of venesection, a blood-letting procedure to reduce blood thickness.
But she found it exhausting. She is now on immunotherapy through the NHS and says she is in a much better place.
She has needed only one venesection in about 15 months. Although incurable, she urges others to know that blood cancer is manageable with the right treatment.
- November 2024
- Diagnosis date
- 49
- Age
- 7 or 8 in 5 months
- Initial venesections
- 1 in 15 months
- Recent venesections
Why it mattersA public figure's honesty about managing a chronic, incurable condition helps others. They can recognise symptoms and know treatment is possible.
AustraliaHer experience with NHS cancer treatment offers insights for Australian patients managing rare blood cancers.
Corroborated bytheguardian.com
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 22 h ago
