BBC Radio Presenter Lauren Laverne Reveals New Health Diagnosis Following Cancer Recovery
Lauren Laverne is diagnosed with chronic – The well-known broadcaster Lauren Laverne has shared news of a fresh medical diagnosis, revealing she has been identified with a blood and bone marrow disorder. This announcement comes approximately two years after she successfully completed treatment for cancer. The 48-year-old, who presents BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs, took to social media to inform her followers about her condition.
On Friday, Laverne posted on Instagram that she has smouldering myeloma. This particular illness involves having an unusual quantity of blood plasma cells within the bone marrow. While the name might sound unfamiliar to many, it represents a specific medical situation that requires ongoing attention.
I’m quite a private person by nature but am sharing this as one of the many things I’ve learned after going through health challenges in recent years is that talking about this stuff helps people.
The presenter explained that her condition is described as asymptomatic, meaning it typically shows no outward symptoms. In certain individuals, smouldering myeloma can progress into blood cancer, though Laverne noted that the likelihood of this occurring in her specific case remains relatively low. At present, she feels well and does not require any immediate medical intervention.
Importantly, Laverne clarified that this new diagnosis is completely separate from her previous cancer battle. She pointed out that most individuals her age who have smouldering myeloma remain unaware of their condition. It is often cancer survivors like herself who receive an early diagnosis because they undergo such thorough and regular medical monitoring.
I’ve been diagnosed with something called smouldering myeloma (yes that is a weird name and no I’d never heard of it either).
Describing smouldering myeloma as a chronic condition, Laverne mentioned that there is currently no definitive cure available. The diagnosis does indicate that her immune system functions somewhat differently than before, requiring her to be more vigilant about self-care. Her medical team will continue to track her progress through regular blood tests, magnetic resonance imaging scans, and bone marrow biopsies. She humorously added that she has recently learned bone marrow biopsies are considerably less enjoyable than their name suggests.
It’s an asymptomatic blood and bone marrow disorder that in some people can develop into blood cancer. Thankfully the risk of this happening in my case is pretty low.
Laverne decided to make her diagnosis public because she hopes her openness will benefit others facing similar circumstances. She acknowledged that receiving another diagnosis has been emotionally challenging, particularly given that it arrived less than two years after her previous cancer diagnosis. However, she recalled how watching public figures navigate comparable health journeys had provided her with comfort during her own experience.
It is a chronic condition – no cure yet – and it does mean my immune system is a bit compromised, so I will need to take good care of myself and I will be carefully monitored with blood tests, MRIs and bone marrow biopsies (which I have recently discovered are even less fun than they sound).
Reflecting on her experiences over the past eight years, Laverne expressed gratitude for the lessons she has accumulated. She believes she has gained more wisdom from these difficult periods than many people gather throughout their entire lives, and this perspective is supporting her through the current situation.
In her message, Laverne extended her appreciation to her family, friends, and professional colleagues. She also specifically thanked her general practitioner for identifying the condition at an early stage, which was made possible through the detection of low iron levels during routine examinations.
Before resuming her broadcasting duties, Laverne plans to take a short break of approximately two weeks. Her cancer diagnosis was originally announced in August 2024, and by November of that same year, she had received confirmation that treatment had been successful and she was cancer-free.
The broadcaster had previously shared that she had always harboured concerns about potentially developing cancer herself, particularly after her mother passed away from the disease in 2022. Her proactive approach to health monitoring appears to have paid off, allowing for early detection of her current condition.
