“We know John is up for that task.”
Aussie superstar John Farnham might not have found the oral tumour that nearly took his life if it weren’t for his loving wife Jill.
The 73-year-old singer was rushed to a Melbourne hospital for a marathon 11-and-a-half-hour surgery to remove part of his jaw and the cancerous tumour, which was discovered less than three weeks ago. This procedure took place just a few short weeks after he said goodbye to his dear friend, Olivia Newton-John.
Robert, 42, and James, 34, Jill’s sons, were by John’s side.
After the traumatic experience, Jill released a statement saying, “We believe John is up for that task. There is still a long road of rehabilitation and healing ahead of us.”
“The outpouring of love, support, and letters from so many people around Australia has truly overwhelmed us. This is extremely important to our family. John will be stunned.
When John complained of a lump in his mouth earlier this month, he wasn’t in a rush to see a doctor because he had finally quit smoking cigars after a kidney infection three years prior.
Jill, who has been by his side for nearly 50 years, insisted that John visit a professional right away.
Gaynor Wheatley, a close family friend, paid homage to Jill last week and recalled how she had exhorted John, “in no uncertain terms,” to keep fighting.
Gaynor said in an interview with Today’s Richard Wilkins: “Jill is extraordinary. I still miss my husband Glenn Wheatley, who was John’s greatest friend and manager and passed away in February. She is an extraordinary woman.
We’ve all been kept together by her. Jill is to be commended for bringing him to the hospital. He’s stable and in the ICU, which is the result that I and everyone else wanted.
“What an excellent bunch of doctors they are,” I exclaimed. There may have once been 26 surgeons, in my opinion. They are our rock stars and our heroes.
John required two major surgeries to preserve his life, the first of which removed the tumour and a portion of his jaw. The second was to rebuild John’s jaw in an effort to restore his distinctive singing voice.Those who know the man well are certain that he won’t lose his and will make a full recovery. His hits helped him establish himself as the voice of his generation. John hasn’t performed in front of an audience for the past two years, but by year’s end, there are great expectations that he will be back to his best.
Gaynor predicts that by Christmas, everyone will be in excellent shape.
John was spotted laughing with nurses from a wheelchair as he was wheeled into surgery at an unnamed Melbourne hospital last Tuesday, refusing to let his shocking cancer diagnosis get the better of him.
In a statement he issued before the procedure, John said: “Cancer diagnosis is something that so many individuals face every single day, and many others have walked this route before me.”
We can all be thankful that Victoria has the top specialists in healthcare, which is the one thing I can say with certainty. I am, I am.
