Nearly a year after revealing she had blood cancer live on national television, Sunrise presenter Edwina Bartholomew has shared an emotional update on her health — and says she still feels “unbelievably lucky” every day.

The 42-year-old television star was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), a slow-growing form of blood and bone marrow cancer, in 2024. While the diagnosis came as a devastating shock, her latest comments reveal just how dramatically life has changed since then.

“I responded straight away”

Speaking to TV Week, Edwina said her treatment has gone better than she could ever have imagined.

“I just can’t believe how lucky I’ve been, just unbelievably lucky.”

Unlike many cancer patients who endure months of intensive chemotherapy, Edwina responded immediately to targeted medication.

She revealed she has experienced no significant side effects, takes one tablet each day, and expects to remain on the medication for many years.

“I responded straightaway to the medication. I haven’t had any side effects. I take it daily, and I will continue to do so for many years.”

Her update reflects the encouraging progress she has shared over recent months, with previous tests showing her leukaemia had become almost undetectable, bringing her into molecular remission—a major milestone for people living with CML. Although she continues treatment, doctors remain optimistic about her long-term outlook.

The diagnosis that changed everything

Reflecting on her journey during Marie Claire’s International Women’s Day luncheon in Sydney, Edwina admitted she had an unusual experience compared with many people facing cancer.

She learned about her diagnosis weeks before telling the public, giving her time to process the news privately.

Most remarkably, she never needed chemotherapy.

“I was fortunate that I had a month where I knew about it before I told everyone.”

She described the experience as something that completely reshaped her priorities.

“The cancer was a gift, because it put things into perspective.”

Rather than becoming consumed by illness, Edwina said she was able to continue living much of her normal life while gradually adjusting to a new reality.

Still living life almost as normal

One of the moments that best illustrates how far her recovery has come happened during a recent appointment with her specialist.

Edwina admitted she had actually forgotten to have her routine blood test before seeing her doctor—something she says shows how little cancer now dominates her daily life.

“I had a meeting with my specialist this week and I forgot to go get my blood test. So, it is not front of mind for me.”

She knows how fortunate she has been.

“I am so conscious of what a gift that is, that I have been able to continue on semi-normal.”

Because her appearance never changed, she and her husband Neil Varcoe have not yet needed to explain her illness to their two young children, Molly and Tom.

Instead, the diagnosis has encouraged her to slow down, spend more time with family and rethink what truly matters.

The emotional moment Australia will never forget

Australians first learned of Edwina’s diagnosis during an emotional live broadcast of Sunrise in September 2024.

Holding back tears, she told viewers:

“I have been diagnosed with cancer. That’s a shock and hard to say.”

She quickly reassured audiences that doctors were optimistic.

“It is a really good kind. It is called chronic myeloid leukaemia. It can be treated with a daily tablet. If I can take care of myself, I will be completely fine.”

Moments later, emotion overwhelmed her.

“I thought I could keep it together.”

The heartfelt announcement prompted an outpouring of support from viewers across Australia.

A diagnosis made just in time

Edwina has also credited her Sunrise colleague Natalie Barr with helping ensure the disease was detected early.

That early diagnosis proved critical.

According to the Mayo Clinic, chronic myeloid leukaemia is an uncommon cancer that typically progresses slowly, and advances in targeted therapies mean many patients can achieve long-term remission while living full, active lives.

For Edwina, that medical breakthrough has meant she has been able to keep doing what she loves—continuing her television career, raising her young family and embracing what she now describes as a precious second chance at life.