BBC presenter Rachael Bland, who has discussed her experience of terminal cancer in a leading podcast, has announced she has only got days to live.
Bland, who also presents the news on BBC North West Tonight, said the “time has come” and that the experience was “very surreal”.
“Au revoir my friends,” she tweeted.
In the words of the legendary Frank S - I’m afraid the time has come my friends. And suddenly. I’m told I’ve only got days. It’s very surreal. Thank you so much for all the support I’ve received. Debs and lozz will continue with the #youmebigc podcast. Au revoir my friends. 💋💋 pic.twitter.com/DhMurbqMJz
— Rachael Bland (@Rachael_Hodges) September 3, 2018
The 40-year-old journalist was diagnosed with breast cancer in late 2016 and began blogging about her experience of chemotherapy. Earlier this year she convinced BBC bosses to let her turn this into a podcast, You, Me and the Big C, which she co-presents with Deborah James and Lauren Mahon, two other women whose cancers have gone into remission.
The aim was to produce a show which took a “a candid look at cancer” and it was immediately popular. But while the programme became a success, there was worse news for Bland. In May, following several rounds of treatment, she was told that her cancer had turned terminal and two months later she was informed it had spread further.
Bland, who has a two-year-old child with her husband Steve, last month used an article in the Sunday Telegraph to describe how she was locked in a “race against time” to write a memoir for her son. At that point she believed she had “less than a year” to live.
“I’m not scared of dying,” she wrote. “I only fear for those I leave behind. For my darling Freddie, who’ll be three next month, for Steve and our families. Even now, knowing the ‘no options left’ conversation is coming, I can’t crumble and fall to pieces.
“I have to suppress a lot of the darkest thoughts about Freddie growing up without his mummy around. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the precious times we have left together.
“I still want to take joy from the moments when he turns to me, as he has begun to the last few weeks, and says: ‘Oh, I missed you Mummy. I love you so much’.”
Colleagues, including former 5Live presenter Richard Bacon, expressed their sadness at the news but said “You, Me, and the Big C” had helped change the conversation around cancer.
Days. Devastating. Rachael I know saying I’m thinking of you (and our magnificent time together on air, especially all that late night fun) doesn’t change anything. But I am and I’m so very sorry. Your podcast has helped change the way people talk about all this. You’re wonderful https://t.co/QE5DCMY7wQ
— richard bacon (@richardpbacon) September 3, 2018
Bland said her co-hosts would continue to present the podcast without her.
