Bland dies after heroic cancer fight shared with thousands
THE BBC news presenter Rachael Bland, who was widely praised for the way in which she confronted her breast cancer, has died.
Steve Bland yesterday paid tribute to the 40-year-old mother-of-one, saying that despite illness, his wife’s voice “was at its strongest and most powerful” at the end after sharing her battle with the disease on a popular podcast.
The journalist, who worked on Radio 5 Live and North West Tonight, was diagnosed with breast cancer in late 2016 and blogged about her experience, drawing on it to produce the BBC series You, Me and the Big C. Her family
‘At the end, even though her body was at its weakest, her voice was at its strongest and most powerful’
yesterday confirmed that she had died shortly after 3am yesterday.
Mr Bland told the BBC: “Rachael’s death has left a huge hole in our perfect little family that we’ll never be able to fill.
“At the end, even though her body was at its weakest, her voice was at its strongest and most powerful.”
Describing her as “perfect in every way”, he added: “She was an incredibly talented broadcaster as well as a muchloved daughter, sister, aunt, niece, wife and, most importantly to her, a mother to her precious little Freddie.
“We all take such huge comfort and pride from the amazing and tireless work she has done since her diagnosis to reduce the stigma around cancer and prove that it is possible to live life to the fullest even when facing huge challenges.”
Bland had been lauded for documenting her cancer suffering through her blog and podcast.
Thousands of listeners tuned in to BBC Radio 5 Live to hear her weekly discussions with fellow patients Lauren Mahon and Deborah James on the highs and lows of living with the condition.
The podcast reached number one on the itunes chart on Tuesday – an ambition of Bland’s, which her husband tweeted had made her “very happy”.
Her death came two days after she said goodbye to friends, revealing she had only days to live.
In a statement on her social media site on Monday, she wrote: “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 You, Me and The Big C podcast. Au revoir, my friends.”
The keen athlete was diagnosed with primary triple-negative breast cancer in November 2016.
When the disease was identified as terminal in early 2018, her hopes rested on an experimental treatment as part of a medical trial.
However, she later learnt that the cancer had spread and that she had less than a year to live.
In August, the Cardiff-born broadcaster said she was writing a memoir to leave for her son Freddie as a “love letter to my beautiful boy”, whose third birthday she missed by a few weeks.
Writing in The Daily Telegraph last month, she told how the cancer had spread around multiple lymph nodes in her upper body, into her skin and liver.
She said: “We still had some hope of holding back the tide for a while, but no one survives metastatic breast cancer long term.
“I’ve not asked how long I have left, because I don’t want a number in my head that I’m counting down to. It’s only ever a best guesstimate – but I’ve got less than a year.
“I’m not scared of dying. I only fear for those I leave behind. For my darling Freddie, who’ll be three next month, for Steve and our families.”
She revealed earlier this week she had wrapped 18 years worth of birthday presents for Freddie so he had a gift from her until he was 21.
On hearing the news, her friend and colleague Tony Livesey said: “Five Live’s lost one of its brightest spirits. I’m going into cliché territory now so she’ll be pressing an alarm somewhere, but she was beautiful inside and out. She was such a lovely person.
“Rachael Bland – presenter, friend to most of us, inspiration to all. Radio 5 Live is broadcasting with a broken heart. We’ve lost one of our brightest talents.”
You, Me and The Big C co-host Ms James wrote: “No words right now – just heartbreak.”
Ms Mahon, her other co-host, added: “Heartbroken doesn’t cut it. Steve, Freddie and family, I love you. I’m so sorry.”