Edwina Bartholomew has broken her silence on social media following her shocking on-air admission on Friday that she has cancer.
The veteran presenter, 41, tearfully shared that she had been diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia, a type of blood and bone marrow cancer, live on Sunrise.
Just hours after the news broke, Edwina took to Instagram to thank her fans for their support and give an insight into her life with her loving family since receiving the diagnosis.
She shared a series of photos of herself with farmer husband Neil Varcoe, 42, and their two beloved children – daughter Molly, four, and son Tom, two.
An image showed Edwina and her husband Neil smiling at each other and sharing a loving look as he supported his wife through the difficult time.
Another adorable snap showed her son Tom carrying their front door stop during a walk outside, which Edwina revealed was a “reminder that life goes on” in a caption.
In the emotional post, Edwina also admitted that it has been an “oddly joyful time” with her family despite her diagnosis and thanked her fans for their support.
She wrote: “Thank you. Thank you so much for all the love. This past month has been a strangely joyful time.
Edwina Bartholomew has broken her silence on social media following her shock live admission on Friday that she has cancer. Pictured: Edwina and Neil with their children Molly and Tom
Just hours after the news broke, Edwina took to Instagram to thank fans for their support and give an insight into her life with her loving family since receiving the diagnosis (pictured with Neil).
‘The day I returned from the bone marrow biopsy, Tom insisted on taking the snake from the gate to the park.
“I found it funny walking him down the street with that damn thing hanging from his shoulder. It was a nice reminder that life goes on.
“I’ve been swimming in the ocean, dreaming up plans with @neilwrites and giving out lots of hugs. I hope this continues for a long time.”
Edwina has been married to her 42-year-old farmer husband Neil for six years. They met more than a decade ago while working together at radio station 2GB.
Edwina has previously given a candid insight into her family life, revealing how she and her beloved husband share an unconventional way of life.
After tying the knot in 2018, Edwina and Neil moved into a house in Sydney, but sleep in different rooms to ensure they both get a good night’s rest.
She recently told Stellar magazine that even though their love for each other is stronger than ever, they haven’t slept in the same bed for years.
“We’ve been sleeping in separate rooms for about 10 years, long before we got married and had kids,” Edwina shared.
One image showed their two-year-old son Tom carrying their doorstop as they walked with them, which Edwina revealed was a “reminder that life goes on” in an emotional caption.
“This past month has been a strangely joyful time,” she shared in a caption. “I’ve been swimming in the ocean, dreaming up plans with @neilwrites, and handing out lots of hugs.”
Edwina has been married to her 42-year-old farmer husband Neil for six years. They met more than a decade ago while working together at radio station 2GB.
The South Australian-born star explained that while they both initially “hated the idea” of sleeping apart, they realised it worked for them and began to love it.
In 2022, Neil was made redundant from his role at Twitter in Australia and, in a surprising move, became a farmer in Carcoar, New South Wales, 260km from Sydney.
Neil left his job at Twitter after Elon Musk acquired the company and rebranded the site as X, and moved to Capertee Valley, three hours west of Sydney.
He now works as “farm manager” at Warramba, the 1890s farmhouse he and Edwina lovingly restored several years ago.
However, Edwina decided to stay in Sydney to ensure she could continue her role on Sunrise, which meant the lovebirds adjusted to a long-distance relationship.
“My husband lives in the country with the dog, I live in the city with the kids. Every weekend, we travel between the two places or meet somewhere in between,” she told Stellar.
“It feels like an airport reunion from Love Actually every time we get together with a slow-motion hug and that newlywed feeling.”
Edwina added that while their living arrangements may seem unconventional, they work for both them and their children, and said their love is stronger than ever.
After tying the knot in 2018, Edwina and Neil moved into a house together in Sydney, but slept in different rooms to ensure they both got a good night’s rest.
On Friday, Edwina revealed she had been diagnosed with cancer in an emotional on-air admission on Sunrise.
The Seven star found out about her shock diagnosis in July and kept it a secret, telling only a few friends at work.
On Friday, publicly revealing her diagnosis, the TV star broke down as she admitted: “I’ve been diagnosed with cancer. It’s a shock and it’s hard to say.”
“It’s a very good disease, called chronic myeloid leukemia. It can be treated with a pill a day. If I take care of myself, I’ll be fine,” he added.
The veteran TV star began to cry before telling the audience: “I thought I could keep it together.”
Edwina went on to reveal that her co-star Natalie Barr was responsible for her being diagnosed with the disease so quickly.
Her colleague, 56, had her own cancer scare in June after a routine skin check discovered skin cancer on her nose.
Concerned about her own health, Edwina visited her doctor for a mammogram, blood tests and a skin check before finding out the news.
“I feel very, very lucky and I wanted to share this with you for a couple of reasons,” Edwina continued.
‘First of all, because all of us here at home have been there for all the wonderful moments, the engagements, the weddings and the babies, all of us. It seemed right to share this with you too.
“Many of you have been in similar or much worse situations and have come out stronger… and more resilient. That’s exactly what I plan to do.”
Edwina said the other reason she wanted to share her sad news was because she wanted to encourage others to prioritize their health as well.
“Please, especially moms who are always taking care of others, take care of yourself too. And consult your doctor,” she said.
After thanking her bosses at Sunrise, Edwina revealed to viewers that she will be “taking some time off in September” before scaling back her work at Sunrise.
On Friday, Edwina revealed that she had been diagnosed with cancer in an emotional confession on air during Sunrise. The TV star broke down as she shared: “I’ve been diagnosed with cancer.”
The former Dancing With The Stars co-host said she will reduce her work responsibilities to just a few days a week on Sunrise when she returns.
“I just need to take care of myself and rest. We’re incredibly lucky to have access to that in this country, and that’s the type (of cancer) I have,” she said.
I’ve also been reacting very well to the medication so far, which is fantastic. I have no side effects.
“I didn’t have any symptoms either, that’s why I wanted to give that health alert. I had nothing.”
Edwina went on to say that chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) often has no symptoms, but can become very serious if left untreated.