BBC News presenter Maryam Moshiri revealed she has been diagnosed with incurable Polycythaemia vera, a rare blood cancer affecting bone marrow. Moshiri, 49, received the diagnosis in November 2024 and has continued working through grueling treatments, drawing attention to the realities of living with a chronic, invisible illness.
Living and Working Through an Incurable Diagnosis
For the past two years, BBC News anchor Maryam Moshiri has balanced a demanding international reporting schedule with treatments for an incurable blood cancer. She confirmed to The Times that she has been diagnosed with Polycythaemia vera (PV), a rare condition that causes the bone marrow to produce an excess of red blood cells, resulting in thickened blood.
Moshiri, who joined the public broadcaster in 2003, received the diagnosis in November 2024. Despite undergoing medical procedures, she has maintained a full-profile broadcasting workload, anchoring coverage for major global events including the coronation of King Charles, Eurovision, the Iran war, and the death of Pope Francis.
“I love what I do. I love being where the story is. I don’t want to allow blood cancer to stop me from doing my work.”
Maryam Moshiri, via AOL
The demanding nature of live broadcasting meant managing severe fatigue behind the scenes. While deployed to Rome in April 2025 to cover the death of Pope Francis, she worked 14-hour days on air while navigating the physical toll of her treatment.
Understanding Polycythaemia Vera and Early Symptoms
Polycythaemia vera is a rare, treatable blood cancer that cannot be cured. Because the body produces too many red blood cells, patients face an elevated risk of developing dangerous blood clots that can lead to strokes, heart attacks, or deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
Moshiri noted that the condition often presents quietly. Mostly I had no symptoms and that’s one of the problems with this disease
, she explained. Her condition was discovered only because her general practitioner ran thorough routine blood tests.
Initial management required debilitating hour-long venesection sessions, a procedure where blood is drawn to lower red blood cell concentration. Within a five-month span, she underwent the procedure seven or eight times, which depleted her iron levels and triggered extreme exhaustion, hair loss, and full-body itching.
Transitioning to NHS Treatment and Managing Fatigue
After adjusting her medical care, Moshiri transitioned to an immunotherapy treatment called interferon through the NHS. The intervention reduced her need for venesections to just one in roughly 15 months, allowing her to stabilize her daily routine.
Even with improved management, the physical fatigue remains profound. She described the exhaustion as fundamentally different from ordinary sleep deprivation, explaining that it feels like someone has removed your battery completely
regardless of rest.
“It’s been two years since my diagnosis and I’ve felt that I’ve started to understand the disease a lot better and the way it affects my life. I’ve got a handle on it to a degree now, so I felt it was really important to raise awareness.”
Maryam Moshiri, via AOL
According to statistics from Blood Cancer UK, more than 310,000 people live with or remain in remission from blood cancer across the UK. The organization notes that the condition stands as the country’s fifth most common cancer and third biggest cancer killer.
Family Impact and Public Awareness Campaigns
Balancing high-profile news anchoring with parenting three children aged 13, 11, and 9 required difficult conversations at home. Moshiri shared that telling her children about her diagnosis was challenging, recalling how her son once asked if she was going to die.
She credits her husband, Jonathan, along with BBC management and her children, for providing essential support. On difficult days when fatigue forces her to rest, her children understand without pushing for more.
To help demystify the illness, Moshiri is backing a new campaign called Here for This, launched by Blood Cancer UK. The initiative highlights the everyday moments and milestones that patients miss due to illness.
Helen Rowntree, chief executive of Blood Cancer UK, praised the presenter’s openness. When public figures speak openly about their diagnosis, it cuts through the silence that so often surrounds blood cancer
, Rowntree noted, emphasizing that many patients manage complex treatments and side-effects quietly while maintaining their careers and family responsibilities.
