Sunrise presenter Edwina Bartholomew diagnosed with cancer

Popular Sunrise presenter Edwina Bartholomew has revealed live on-air she has been diagnosed with cancer.

Edwina Bartholomew has been diagnosed with cancer.

The popular Sunrise presenter revealed live on television that she recently began treatment for Chronic myeloid leukaemia.

Holding back tears, Bartholomew shared the news with Channel 7 viewers on Friday morning saying she would be scaling back her work commitments while she undergoes treatment.

“That’s a shock to say and hard to say,” she told viewers.

“It is a really good kind ... if that is actually possible. It can be treated with a daily tablet. If I can take care of myself I will be completely fine.”

Edwina Bartholomew has revealed live on television that she has been diagnosed with cancer.

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph moments after making the announcement, Bartholomew said: “It feels like the luckiest unlucky thing to ever happen to me”.

“If I take care of myself, my life expectancy will not be impacted. I have no greater risk of getting other cancers. Obviously it was a shock but I have felt overwhelmingly lucky the whole time – lucky to have found it, lucky to live in this country where you can access that world class treatment, lucky that work has been so wonderful about it.”

Edwina Bartholomew with husband Neil Varcoe and kids Molly and Tom.

Edwina Bartholomew, at Waverton participated in the Coastrek last year. Picture: Justin Lloyd

She added: “I was actually lying getting my bone marrow biopsy done saying ‘I just feel so grateful’ and they said, ‘we don’t get that vibe in here very often’.”

Doctors gave Bartholomew the diagnosis after she took a series of routine medical tests prompted by her milestone 40th birthday in July last year.

Further tests were required when her bloods came back with elevated white blood cells.

Sunrise presenter Edwina Bartholomew was supported by her colleagues on Friday morning.

The mother of two is taking medication daily and will take some time off with her husband Neil Varcoe and kids, Molly and Tom.

“Talk about putting life into perspective, I am very fortunate that my kids are two and four so even if I was to explain it to them, they wouldn’t really get it so I don’t have to,” Bartholomew explained.

“And my appearance won’t change, they won’t notice that I am sick, it is just actually that I will be around more so for them it is more of a bonus really. It just makes you realise what is important in life”.

Chronic myeloid leukaemia is a cancer where the bone marrow produces excess immature white blood cells. These cells crowd the marrow and enter the bloodstream, impairing infection-fighting ability and causing anemia, bleeding, and bruising.

Bartholomew has for more than a decade been an ambassador for the Nelune Foundation and will on Saturday night host its annual fundraising ball at Sydney’s Four Seasons Hotel.

“I honestly cannot thank them enough for the support they have given me and thousands of other cancer patients. I have MCd that event for years raising money for cancer patients and never expected to be one of them myself.”

Sunrise presenter Edwina Bartholomew. Picture: Stephen Chee

The much loved television identity, who was born in Whyalla, South Australia, has decided to take the rest of September off work and will return to Sunrise three days a week for the remainder of the year.

“Obviously rest and recuperation and staying well is a big part of the recovery,” she said.

“I have responded really well to the medication so far, which is fantastic, and I haven’t had any negative side effects so I just feel overwhelmingly grateful and thankful that it is this kind of cancer and that I’ve been able to get on top of it so quickly.”

Originally published as Sunrise presenter Edwina Bartholomew diagnosed with cancer