Lauren Laverne Diagnosed with Blood Disorder: What You Need to Know

Lauren Laverne diagnosed with blood and bone – Broadcaster Lauren Laverne has shared that she has been diagnosed with a blood and bone marrow disorder, a condition that can potentially progress to blood cancer. The 48-year-old presenter, who is well-known for hosting BBC Radio 6 Music’s weekday mid-morning show, along with appearances on BBC One Show and Desert Island Discs, revealed the news on Instagram. Despite the diagnosis, Laverne emphasized that she currently feels well and does not require immediate treatment.

In her social media announcement, Laverne explained that she has been diagnosed with smouldering myeloma, a condition she admitted she had never heard of before. She described it as an asymptomatic blood and bone marrow disorder that, in certain cases, can develop into blood cancer. This diagnosis arrives two years after Laverne received an unspecified cancer diagnosis, and she had previously announced in November 2024 that she had been given the all clear following treatment.

Understanding Smouldering Myeloma

Smouldering myeloma is characterized by the absence of symptoms and typically does not require treatment, though it can eventually progress into myeloma, a form of blood cancer. Laverne noted that the likelihood of this progression in her particular case is relatively low. She mentioned that most individuals her age remain unaware that they have smouldering myeloma.

"It tends to be cancer survivors like me who are diagnosed early as we're so carefully monitored," Laverne wrote in her post. "It has nothing to do with my previous illness or my recent surgery, it's just one of those things." She further explained that this is a chronic condition with no cure currently available, and it means her immune system is somewhat compromised. As a result, she will need to take good care of herself and will undergo regular monitoring through blood tests, MRIs, and bone marrow biopsies.

"It's been a lot, especially coming less than two years after my last diagnosis, but I know that seeing others in the public eye cope with comparable situations has helped me, so I thought I'd be upfront about it," she added. Laverne also took the opportunity to thank her doctor for catching the condition early.

"This is the second Big Problem my GP has caught early and it is frankly impossible to adequately express my gratitude," she wrote. "I was pretty blasé about my persistently low iron levels but he insisted we get to the bottom of what was going on. My message to others would be: be like him, not me! Advocate for yourself if you need to and ask to see a haematologist if you are in the same situation."

Laverne mentioned that she is now taking a couple of weeks' holiday and plans to return to work as normal afterward. She concluded her message with warmth, sending love especially to anyone dealing with similar health challenges.

According to Myeloma UK, smouldering myeloma is detected through the presence of abnormal cells in the bone marrow, along with abnormal protein found in blood and/or urine. Patients are regularly monitored for signs that they are developing active myeloma or related conditions. While smouldering myeloma usually progresses into active myeloma at some point, the timeline varies considerably, according to the charity.