BBC news presenter Maryam Moshiri has revealed she was diagnosed with polycythaemia vera (PV), a rare and incurable blood cancer, after her GP spotted abnormal results during routine blood tests. Moshiri, 49, said she considers herself fortunate the condition was caught early, as she had few obvious symptoms and had attributed her tiredness and headaches to peri-menopause rather than a serious illness. The case highlights how routine screening can pick up serious conditions before they progress, even when symptoms seem minor or easily explained away.

PV causes the bone marrow to overproduce red blood cells, thickening the blood and raising the risk of clots, heart attacks and strokes if left untreated, though it is generally managed as a chronic condition. Since her diagnosis in November 2024, Moshiri has undergone gruelling treatment, including monthly blood removal and immunotherapy at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS trust, enduring side effects such as insomnia, headaches and severe itching while continuing to work, including covering Pope Francis's death in Rome. She is now backing Blood Cancer UK's "Here for This" campaign, with around 15,000 people in the UK currently living with the condition.