Lauren Laverne, the BBC radio and television presenter, has announced she has been diagnosed with a blood and bone marrow disorder known as smouldering myeloma. The 48-year-old disclosed the condition on Instagram on Friday, less than two years after she was given the all-clear from cancer in 2024.
What is Smouldering Myeloma?
Smouldering myeloma is an asymptomatic disorder characterised by an abnormal level of blood plasma cells in the bone marrow. According to Laverne, it can in some cases develop into blood cancer, but she stated that the risk of this happening in her case is "pretty low." She noted that most people her age with the condition are unaware of it, and that it tends to be detected early in cancer survivors due to close monitoring.
Laverne's Statement and Health Status
In her Instagram post, Laverne wrote: "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 clarified that the disorder is chronic with no cure yet, but she does not currently need treatment. She added that it has "nothing to do" with her previous illness, though it has slightly compromised her immune system, requiring careful monitoring through blood tests, MRIs, and bone marrow biopsies.
Laverne, who recovered from cancer in late 2024 after being diagnosed in August that year, expressed gratitude for her early detection: "I've had some difficult experiences in the last eight years, but I have learned more from them than some people do in a lifetime and that is helping me right now." She plans to take a couple of weeks holiday before returning to work.
Career and Public Response
Laverne, formerly the lead singer of the alternative rock band Kenickie in the 1990s, has been a BBC Radio 6 Music presenter since 2008 and has hosted Radio 4's Desert Island Discs since 2018. She also co-presents The One Show, a role she began in 2023. Her announcement has prompted support from fans and health charities.
Blood Cancer UK issued a statement noting that more than 53,000 people across the UK are on active monitoring for different blood cancers, including smouldering myeloma. The charity's specialist nurses provide free, confidential support and information for those affected.
