Don and Marea Burke tell ACA of their 15-year battle with her health troubles, including breast cancer

THEY describe themselves as ‘soulmates’, and they’ve been through a lot. Don Burke and his wife have revealed their tough 15-year battle.

THEY describe themselves as ‘soulmates’. Now celebrity gardener Don Burke and his wife have shared their 15-year battle that’s affected their family.

Don and his wife Marea told A Current Affair host Tracey Grimshaw about a series of health issues she has faced which has put a strain on their family.

It started in 2000, when the couple were running three very successful TV shows including Burke’s Backyard, Backyard Blitz and Renovation Rescue.

While Don described himself as the “show pony” in front of the camera, Marea ran their company, CTC Productions.

One day, Marea recalled having double vision. She and Don revealed to ACA she was diagnosed with Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM). She had an abnormal collection of blood vessels like Varicose veins sitting on top of her brain and had to have surgery.

Marea said she rang Don while he was in Hawaii shooting for Burke’s Backyard at the time to tell him the news.

Their story ... Don Burke shares his side of the story as he continues to support his wife Marea.

“This call absolutely stopped me in my tracks,” Don said.

“It was absolutely a catastrophic phone call.”

After undergoing a nine-hour surgical procedure to remove the AVM, Don said he became Marea’s carer as their whole family pitched in to help her through months of rehab and years of recovery.

But she then had a minor stroke, and developed epilepsy from it.

Don said it was a “huge struggle” for him, as he continued to run the production company and care for Marea at the same time.

In 2004, the couple were hit by a career low, when Burke’s Backyard was axed after 17 years.

“We were the idiots running the asylum,” he said.

“It was a very very difficult time for us.”

Marea’s next health battle came in 2013 after she missed having a mammogram. When she finally went to have one, a biopsy later revealed she had breast cancer.

She had an immediate mastectomy on her left breast within a week of finding out.

Marea said she had no choice but had to get on with it. She had a grade two form of breast cancer, which Don said they got to very early.

Not giving up ... Marea Burke is still a fighter today.

“What are you going to do? It is what it is right,” she said.

“You’ve got no choice. You just do it. It’s a bummer and unfortunate that it happened.”

She also had chemotherapy and radiotherapy and is now in remission.

Despite their battles, Don said Marea has been “pivotal” to helping him achieve his dreams.

“With all my crazy dreams, there is simply no way without her,” he said.

Don also emphasised how much their battles have made him realise how much they rely on and love each other.

“We’ve always been soulmates. But this definitely, from my side particularly, made me realise just how important Marea was to me and our relationship,” he said.

Marea added that they have become closer because of their experiences.

“We just get on with things. I suppose we are closer in that I need him to be there in case I do fall down the steps because Don does a lot now, that perhaps he wouldn’t have.”