Behind the confident, professional image that BBC presenter Maryam Moshiri shows to millions of viewers, she has been quietly dealing with a painful and life-changing reality. The 49-year-old broadcaster has revealed that she was diagnosed nearly two years ago with polycythaemia vera, a rare and incurable blood cancer. The condition causes her bone marrow to produce too many red blood cells, making the blood unusually thick and increasing the risk of serious complications such as blood clots, heart attacks and strokes if it is not treated. Although the disease cannot currently be cured, it is generally managed as a chronic condition rather than an illness that rapidly progresses. For Moshiri, however, living with that diagnosis has meant accepting a future filled with medical treatment, exhaustion and difficult adjustments while continuing to maintain the professional life her audience knows.

Moshiri first discovered something was wrong through a blood test connected to investigations around menopause. The diagnosis came as a shock, particularly because she had not expected to be facing cancer. Treatment initially required her to have more than a pint of blood removed from her body every month to reduce the concentration of red blood cells. The process left her feeling sick, drained and extremely tired, yet she continued working. Her diagnosis did not stop her from taking on demanding assignments, even when her body was struggling. Shortly after learning she had the disease, she was sent to Rome to cover the death of the Pope and the conclave that followed. During that assignment, she worked around 14-hour days, spending long periods on air and constantly having to react quickly while carrying the burden of chronic fatigue and the knowledge that she was living with an incurable condition.

After returning from Rome, Moshiri began immunotherapy treatment with interferon at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS trust in London. The treatment helped reduce the amount of blood that needed to be removed, offering some relief from one aspect of her condition. Patients with polycythaemia vera are also commonly prescribed aspirin to lower the risk of dangerous blood clots. Yet interferon brought its own painful challenges. Moshiri experienced severe side effects, including insomnia and headaches, while the itching became so intense that she sometimes scratched her skin until it bled. The physical toll was difficult enough, but the emotional impact of treatment became even harder when it interfered with her ability to spend time with her children. She eventually changed to another medication that produced more manageable side effects, but the experience forced her to accept that her life would now include regular hospital appointments, medication and ongoing efforts to control the disease.

Perhaps the most heartbreaking part of Moshiri’s experience has been what the illness has taken away from her family moments. During the worst periods of treatment, she admitted that she was often unable to be there for her children in the way she wanted. She recalled lying exhausted on the sofa while her son asked, “Mummy, can you come play football with me in the garden?” She wanted to join him, but simply did not have the energy. For a mother, those ordinary requests can carry enormous emotional weight because they represent the everyday memories that families normally take for granted. Her illness has therefore not only involved physical pain and medical appointments; it has also meant missing moments with her children that she deeply wanted to share. That reality became even more painful when she explained her diagnosis to Iris, 13, Vivienne, 11, and Caspian, 9, whom she shares with LatinNews editor-in-chief Jonathan Farmer.

When Moshiri finally told her children that she had blood cancer, their immediate question was whether she was going to die. Their fear struck at the heart of what makes a serious diagnosis so difficult for a parent. While polycythaemia vera is generally considered a manageable chronic blood cancer, the word “incurable” can be frightening for both patients and their families. Moshiri has acknowledged how difficult it has been to get her head around the reality of living with a condition that will remain part of her life. At the same time, she does not want the diagnosis to define her or prevent her from doing her job. She has stressed that an important part of dealing with the disease is continuing to live, even when treatment and fatigue make ordinary life harder. Her determination to remain on air reflects that mindset, although she has also been honest about the enormous effort required to keep functioning during the most difficult periods.

Polycythaemia vera is rare, with around 15,000 people in the UK estimated to be living with the condition as of 2023. It most commonly develops later in life, with about 60 being the average age at diagnosis. Reported average survival is around 14 years for people diagnosed after 60 and approximately 24 years for those diagnosed before 60, although individual experiences can vary considerably. In some patients, the bone marrow also produces excessive numbers of white blood cells and platelets, which can further complicate the condition. Moshiri’s story also highlights how a blood cancer can remain largely invisible to others. A person may look completely well while privately coping with debilitating fatigue, headaches, itching, treatment side effects and the constant demands of medical care. Her BBC colleague, veteran broadcaster and DJ David Hamilton, has also spoken publicly about having polycythaemia vera. He discovered his condition after unexpectedly experiencing blood in his urine and later described the diagnosis as frightening but put into perspective by his consultant.

Moshiri is now using her experience to support the Here for This campaign by Blood Cancer UK, which focuses on the everyday moments that people with blood cancer can miss because of their illness and treatment. Helen Rowntree, the charity’s chief executive, praised Moshiri for sharing her story publicly, saying that openness from well-known figures can help break the silence surrounding blood cancer. Blood cancer is the UK’s fifth most common cancer and third biggest cancer killer, making continued awareness and research especially important. The campaign also calls for greater support for the development of kinder and more effective treatments that can reduce debilitating side effects and allow patients to spend less time dealing with the consequences of their illness. For Moshiri, speaking out is therefore about more than revealing her own struggles; it is also about helping others understand what living with a chronic blood cancer can really mean.

Despite the seriousness of her diagnosis, Moshiri remains determined not to let polycythaemia vera take away her identity, career or hope for ordinary family life. Viewers may know her for her energetic broadcasting style and memorable on-air moments, including the infamous 2023 incident when she accidentally appeared to raise her middle finger toward the camera before the top-of-the-hour headlines. She later explained that it had been part of a private joke with the crew and apologized after the extended clip was broadcast. Since then, she has also attracted attention for other playful on-air moments, including imitating a seagull, bending a spoon while discussing a man crushing a frying pan and jogging on the spot during a segment about daily steps. Behind those humorous moments, however, she has been carrying a deeply personal struggle. Her decision to speak honestly about her diagnosis shows that even someone who appears confident and composed on television can be fighting exhaustion and fear away from the cameras. Most importantly, her story reveals how a rare, incurable illness can affect not only the person diagnosed but also the children and family who simply want to know that their mother will be there for the moments that matter.