When Channel 7 journalist Edwina Bartholomew went in for a routine health check last year, she never imagined it would end in being told she had blood cancer.
Diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), her world was turned upside down in an instant.
“It was a real shock,” the 42-year-old tells WHO of getting her diagnosis last year.
As a mother of two young kids – Molly, 5, and Thomas, 3 – Edwina had long prioritised their health over her own.
After finally booking a long-overdue check-up, tests revealed abnormal white blood cells, leading to her CML diagnosis.
The news came out of nowhere. Edwina explains, she “didn’t have any symptoms or any indication that something wasn’t right”.
On August 29, 2025, the Sunrise presenter was announced as national ambassador for the Leukaemia Foundation ahead of the start of Blood Cancer Month in September.
And now, she’s using her story to shine a light on the importance of early detection and self-care, and the unique challenges women face.
“I think if you asked a room full of women to put their hand up if they would take care of themselves first and foremost, above everyone else, very few people would put their hand up,” she says.
Blood cancer is now one of the most urgent and under-recognised health issues for Australian women – it is the second most common form of cancer diagnosed after breast cancer.
However, it can often go undetected, as Edwina experienced for herself.
And while the diagnosis was life-altering, she considers herself fortunate.
“I get more tired than I used to, I have to eat different things, I don’t drink and all of these little changes. But overall, I’m really, really well,” she shares.
And, thankfully, unlike many forms of leukaemia, CML can now be managed with targeted medication.
“Literally, I just need to take a tablet,” she explains.
“Every night before I go to bed, I take it. There are some side effects, but nothing that isn’t manageable. I was just really lucky that we caught it early and that treatment could start straight away.”
She stresses that because CML is so ambiguous, with few to no symptoms, regular check-ups can be the difference between early treatment and a much harder road.
“Twenty years ago, if that had been diagnosed, it would have been a really different outcome,” she says of the advancements in treatment. “I’m really, really lucky in that sense that now it’s kind of more of a chronic condition than a death sentence and a really bad prognosis.”
The experience has also forced her to prioritise her own wellbeing. She now schedules regular acupuncture sessions, strength classes and walks, while also carving out time to be alone and recharge.
As a mum, Edwina was grateful that she didn’t need to sit her children down for a heavy conversation.
“From their perspective, nothing changed. I didn’t look different, I didn’t have to go to hospital or have chemotherapy,” she explains.
Edwina tells WHO that one day she plans to explain it. But for now, she’s thankful they’ve been shielded from the panic the word “cancer” may cause.
She’s also grateful for her support system, with her husband, Neil Varcoe, and her close circle.
“Neil’s been fantastic,” she says simply. “At times like this, you really realise who’s around you.”
“My husband’s been amazing, my friends have been amazing, even strangers have been amazing.”
“I’ve had to learn to ask for help, too, which hasn’t always been easy, but it’s shown me just how much love is around me.”
What Edwina hopes women and mothers take away from her story is to make sure they’re prioritising themselves and their health in the midst of their busy lives.
“I think if you don’t, you know, put your own oxygen mask on first,” she adds, “then what good are you to everyone else?”
This Blood Cancer Month, the Leukaemia Foundation is urging Australians to get informed and help support girls and women like Edwina who are impacted by blood cancer by visiting leukaemia.org.au.
