BBC’s Rachael Bland Dies Two Days After Saying Goodbye To Her Followers

 

BBC presenter Rachael Bland has died two days after announcing she had just days to live.

The 40-year-old presenter and blogger passed away surrounded by her family, five months after learning her cancer was incurable.

The news was confirmed by the mother-of-one’s Instagram account.

In a statement, her husband Steve described her as “perfect in every way”.

He said: “Rachael’s death has left a huge hole in our perfect little family that we’ll never be able to fill. She was an incredibly talented broadcaster as well as a wonderful and much loved 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 on a daily basis.

“At the end, even though her body was at its weakest, her voice was at its strongest and most powerful.”

He continued: “Rachael was and will always be an incredible inspiration to everyone she met. To us, she was perfect in every way and we will miss her more than words can say.”

“We just ask that everyone respects our family’s privacy as we try and come to terms with losing our beautiful girl.”

BBC Radio 5 Live’s Twitter account described Rachael as a “treasured colleague” who “inspired so many”.

Mother to Freddie.
Wife to Steve.
Our treasured colleague Rachael Bland has died.
She inspired so many with her blogs, the chart-topping podcast #YouMeBigC and certainly put the can in cancer.
We will miss her dearly. pic.twitter.com/b0UKRwDDCY

— BBC Radio 5 Live (@bbc5live) September 5, 2018

Jonathan Wall, controller of BBC Radio 5 Live, also shared a statement following the news.

He said: ‘Today is a very sad day for all of us and so many of our listeners. She was a very talented broadcaster and a beautiful loyal colleague to so many.

“More than that, she turned the final year of her life into the finest year of her life delivering the most important broadcasting I have ever heard about living with cancer, and ultimately facing death because of cancer. She has made a profound difference to so many lives.

“We are all so proud at what she achieved – a truly heroic broadcaster and lovely wife, daughter and mum.”

Rachael is known for her hit podcast You, Me and The Big C and blog Big C Little Me where she helped others through their cancer journey.

 

 

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