Australian television presenter Edwina Bartholomew has revealed she’s been diagnosed with cancer.
The 41-year-old journalist shared her health update live on-air during an emotional segment on Sunrise on Friday morning,
telling viewers she was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia in July.
After reading the 8am news, Bartholomew said, before breaking down in tears, “Now, a personal story to finish the bulletin.
I have been diagnosed with cancer.”
Watch the video above.
“That’s a shock to say and hard to say. It is a really good kind. It is called chronic myeloid leukaemia,” Bartholomew continued.
“It can be treated with a daily tablet. If I can take care of myself I will be completely fine,” she said, before continuing through tears.
Bartholomew told viewers she had been diagnosed weeks ago in July, but she had kept it to herself until now – the mother-of-two then explained she wanted to go public with her diagnosis now for “a couple of reasons”.
“Firstly, because everyone at home and here has been here for all the wonderful times, for the engagements, and the weddings and the babies, for all of us. It felt right to share this with you too,” she explained.
“Many of you have been in similar situations or much, much worse and come out the other side stronger… And more resilient. There’s exactly what I plan to do.”
Pausing repeatedly to collect herself, Bartholomew said she “thought [she] could keep it together” and that she would, before explaining the other reason why she came forward.
When she turned 40, Bartholomew explained, she decided to prioritise her health, going to get a skin check after her co-host Natalie Barr had a skin cancer scare in June.
“I had a mammogram after I had a few lumps. That came back all clear. I even had an eye check. That’s fine,” she explained. “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.”
Bartholomew, who was quickly embraced in an emotional group hug by Barr and fellow co-hosts Matt Shirvington and Mark Beretta, reiterated to viewers at home that she was feeling “very positive” and “lucky” about her prognosis and treatment options.
Chronic myeloid leukemia is an uncommon and slow progressing blood-cell cancer that begins in bone marrow.
Symptoms, according to the Leukaemia Foundation, can include anaemia, persistent tiredness, dizziness, paleness, infections becoming more frequent and taking longer to heal, and more.
In addition to Sunrise, Bartholomew previously worked as a reporter with Nine’s 2GB.
She shares four-year-old daughter Molly and two-year-old son Thomas with Neil Varcoe, her husband of six years.
