BBC Radio 6 Music presenter Lauren Laverne announced Friday that she has been diagnosed with smouldering myeloma [1, 2].
The announcement follows a previous battle with cancer, highlighting the complexities of managing rare and chronic blood disorders in public view.
Laverne, 48 [1], shared the news via her Instagram account. She described smouldering myeloma as a rare and incurable blood and bone-marrow disorder [1, 3]. This new diagnosis comes several months after her previous cancer battle [2] and less than two years since her first cancer diagnosis [3].
By sharing her health status publicly, Laverne said she intends to inform the public about her condition and encourage others to seek medical clarity. She emphasized the importance of self-advocacy when navigating the healthcare system.
"Advocate for yourself if you need to," Laverne said [2].
Smouldering myeloma is often considered a precursor to multiple myeloma, though it does not always progress to active cancer. Because it is incurable, patients typically require long-term monitoring to track the progression of the disease within the bone marrow [1, 3].
Laverne is based in the United Kingdom, where she continues her work as a prominent broadcaster [1, 2].
“"Advocate for yourself if you need to."”
The public disclosure of a smouldering myeloma diagnosis brings attention to a condition that exists in a gray area between benign and malignant. Because the disorder is incurable and requires lifelong surveillance, Laverne's call for self-advocacy underscores the necessity for patients to remain proactive in their treatment and monitoring plans to prevent the condition from progressing into active multiple myeloma.
