Months after Sunrise star Edwina Bartholomew announced she had been diagnosed with cancer, the 41-year-old has shared that her treatment is working and she is “really well.”
Speaking on the Stellar podcast Something To Talk About she shared new details, admitting: “I’m really well, and I genuinely can say that now.”
“My test results have been fantastic,” she continued. “I’ve responded really well to the medication. My alarm goes off twice a day, once at 3am to get up and once at 8pm to take my medication, a tablet that costs me about $30 per prescription … My white blood cell count is almost back to normal.”
Although she will need to take the medication for “a couple of years at least,” she continued: “Perspective and mindset have been a big part of the process…People can live with this their entire life and because I caught it so early, I could be rid of it in a few years. Ever since this happened, I suddenly have just taken care of myself.”
Bartholomew initially revealed her diagnosis live on-air on September 6. ” I have some news. And it’s not great news… I have cancer,” she told audiences. “It’s a good kind if that actually is possible. It’s called chronic myeloid leukemia.”
Following the announcement, the 41-year-old reassured viewers about her diagnosis, adding,” It can be treated with a daily tablet and if I take care of myself, I will be completely fine.”
The beloved Sunrise presenter also revealed that she had received her diagnosis in July 2024, sharing that she decided to prioritise her health after turning 40.
“I got a skin check after Nat [Barr] had her scare. I had a mammogram after I had a few lumps. That came back all clear. I even had an eye check. That was fine. But my doctor sent me to get routine blood tests at the same time. One of those tests came back with levels out of whack.”
“Please, particularly for mums who always take care of everyone else, please take care of yourself too. And just check in with your doctor.”
Bartholomew, who has two children Molly, 4, and Thomas, 2, with her husband Neil Varcoe, later opened up on her diagnosis in an open letter to viewers on 7NEWS.com.au.
“I recently turned 40 and decided it was finally time to get on top of my health,” she explained, adding she was often asked in interviews about how she takes care of herself and she realised she hadn’t been doing “any” of the things she said she did.
“Then one day, my four-year-old daughter jumped on top of me, and it hurt. I realised that although I’d been to the doctor for snotty noses and inexplicable toddler rashes many times, I hadn’t been to see a GP for myself since I was pregnant with my son — more than two years ago,” she explained.
“I soon found myself in a hospital room, waiting for a mammogram. You can imagine all the horrific scenarios that went through my head as I cursed myself for forgetting appointments and neglecting my health.”
Reflecting on her diagnosis, Bartholomew continued, “Despite appearances, I feel really positive about it. It genuinely is the luckiest unlucky thing to ever happen to me. I’m just beyond grateful I found it, and beyond grateful it’s the best-case scenario.”
As such, she will be taking a break from Sunrise and returning for only a few days a week.
Bartholomew has had a lot happening in the past few years as she and her writer-farmer husband, Varcoe, undertook a massive project to restore a historic hotel in the regional NSW town of Carcoar.
It was a huge project, and Bartholomew admitted in early 2024 that she and Varcoe spent most of their year living separately because of the work that needed to be done.
“My husband lives in the country with the dog and I live in the city with the kids,” Bartholomew told Stellar in April 2024.
“Each weekend, we traipse back and forth between the two or meet somewhere in the middle.”
Now, the star plans to spend more time with family as she comes to terms with her cancer diagnosis.
