Lauren Laverne, the host of BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, has disclosed that she has been diagnosed with smouldering myeloma, a chronic but asymptomatic blood and bone marrow disorder. The announcement comes two years after her previous cancer diagnosis.
Social Media Announcement
On Friday afternoon, Laverne took to social media to share her personal news with followers. She stated that while she is feeling well and does not currently require treatment, she wanted to be open about her condition in the hope that it might help others facing similar health challenges.
“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,” she wrote.
Understanding Smouldering Myeloma
Laverne described the diagnosis: “I've been diagnosed with something called smouldering myeloma (yes that is a weird name and no I've never heard of it either). It's an asymptomatic blood and bone marrow disorder that in some people can develop into blood cancer.” She reassured fans that the risk of progression in her case is low, adding, “Thankfully for me the risk of this happening in my case is pretty low. At the moment I feel OK and don't need treatment.”
She explained that the condition is often detected early in cancer survivors due to close monitoring. “Most people my age who have it have no idea - it tends to be cancer survivors like me who are diagnosed early as we're so carefully monitored. It has nothing to do with my previous illness or my recent surgery, it's just one of those things.”
Chronic Condition Management
Laverne noted that the disorder is incurable and will require ongoing surveillance, including MRIs and bone biopsies, due to a compromised immune system. She described the news as “a lot” coming just two years after her last diagnosis but emphasized her desire to be upfront about her health journey.
“I call it Smouldering Mye. Sounds more like a drag queen,” she joked in the caption. Despite the challenges, she expressed gratitude to her doctors and the 6 Music team for their support. She also announced she would be taking a couple of weeks off for a holiday but would return soon.
Support from Celebrities
Laverne’s post was met with an outpouring of support from celebrity friends. Kate Garraway commented, “Oh Lauren - hate that this is coming at you on top of everything else - sending you love and healing and you are right you will have helped so many by speaking up xx.” Sarah Cawood added, “Oh gorgeous girl! You’ve been through A LOT. And navigated it all with style and grace. Sending you love and healing xxxx.”
