BBC Presenter Maryam Moshiri Opens Up About Incurable Blood Cancer

Maryam Moshiri, a prominent BBC News presenter who joined the broadcaster in 2003, has revealed she is living with blood cancer. The forty-nine-year-old anchor decided to share her diagnosis publicly to raise awareness about the disease, which she has managed for two years.

In November 2024, Moshiri was diagnosed with polycythaemia vera, an incurable but highly manageable blood cancer. This condition causes the body to produce an excessive number of red blood cells, which thickens the blood. Consequently, patients face a significantly higher risk of experiencing blood clots, strokes, heart attacks, or deep vein thrombosis.

Moshiri explained that she initially experienced no symptoms, which is a common challenge with this silent disease. Her cancer was only detected because her GP was exceptionally fastidious during routine blood tests and immediately requested further investigation.

To treat the condition, she underwent several debilitating sessions of venesection, a process where blood is slowly drawn from the arm. Having this procedure seven or eight times in five months caused her iron levels to plummet, leaving her exhausted. She also suffered from hair loss and severe itching all over her body during this initial treatment phase.

Fortunately, her health has improved since she began an NHS immunotherapy treatment called interferon. She has required only one venesection in fifteen months and feels much better, although she must manage this lifelong condition.

Despite battling severe fatigue, which she describes as feeling like her battery has been completely removed, Moshiri has continued her work. She has anchored from Qatar, covered the papal selection at the Vatican, and traveled to Greenland for major stories. She credits her supportive husband, Jonathan, her children, and her BBC managers for helping her navigate this journey.