Leyla has 20 years of experience working as a broadcast journalist and media professional. She started her career in the Latin American section of BBC World Service after studying Spanish and Portuguese. She then moved to the main newsroom and has worked as a television news reporter for the BBC, ITV and Channel 5 News, covering all types of stories including politics, crime, education and health.

She is passionate about raising awareness of sarcoma in the media, in the healthcare profession, and across the wider public. She said: “My personal experience with sarcoma came in 2017 when my mum died suddenly after a late sarcoma diagnosis. Ever since then, my family has raised money for Sarcoma UK, and I hope to use my experience to continue the great work the charity does.”