LAUREN LAVERNE ANNOUNCES SMOULDERING MYELOMA DIAGNOSIS

Lauren Laverne has announced a diagnosis of smouldering myeloma, a blood and bone marrow disorder characterised by abnormal levels of plasma cells in bone marrow. The announcement came less than two years after Laverne received an all-clear from cancer in November 2024, which she had been diagnosed with in August 2024. Laverne said she made the diagnosis public to help others, describing herself as a private person who had learned that discussing health challenges assists people. She stated the condition has "nothing to do" with her previous cancer diagnosis and that her risk of it developing into blood cancer is "pretty low".

Laverne said she does not currently require treatment, but will need careful monitoring with blood tests, magnetic resonance imaging scans and bone marrow biopsies. She noted that smouldering myeloma is typically asymptomatic and that most people her age with the condition are unaware they have it, with early detection occurring mainly in cancer survivors like herself who undergo frequent monitoring. Laverne described the chronic condition as having no cure currently and noted it means her immune system is compromised, requiring her to take care of herself. The broadcaster said she would take a two-week holiday before returning to work.

Laverne has presented BBC Radio 6 Music since 2008 and has hosted Radio 4's Desert Island Discs since 2018. She was previously the lead singer of alternative rock band Kenickie during the 1990s. Her announcement follows her recent recovery from cancer and comes as part of her public discussion of health challenges faced in recent years.