Maryam Moshiri, a BBC News presenter, BBC News chief presenter and news channel anchor, has revealed that she is living with blood cancer. She was diagnosed with polycythaemia vera.
Maryam Moshiri blood cancer treatment
As part of her initial treatment, Moshiri underwent several hour-long venesections. She had seven or eight venesections in about five months.
Moshiri later received interferon immunotherapy through the NHS. She said she had only needed one venesection in about 15 months.
“After a while I started feeling extremely unwell and tired. I started losing my hair, I got itchy all over my body, but the main symptom was fatigue,” Moshiri said.
She said fatigue meant she sometimes could not attend family occasions or play with her children because she was exhausted.
Moshiri continued to travel across the world covering the biggest stories over the last two years for the BBC. She said she has continued to cover major news stories while living with the cancer.
About polycythaemia vera
Polycythaemia vera is described as a rare, treatable blood cancer. It cannot be cured but can be managed effectively.
Helen Rowntree said: “We’re so grateful to Maryam for bravely sharing her story. When public figures speak openly about their diagnosis, it cuts through the silence that so often surrounds blood cancer – the UK’s fifth most common cancer and third biggest cancer killer.”
Source: BBC News
