Results from Ford MRI
There is no guarantee it will work all out for Ford, who was given the results on Thursday from an MRI he had last week. After meeting with his doctor he briefed the media at a press conference. He said he will undergo an eight to 10 hours of surgery on May 11 to remove the tumor and that he’ll then recover in hospital for up to two weeks.
“I’m very, very happy and delighted,” he told the press conference. “We’re fighting, and I can’t thank the people enough. I didn’t sleep much last night. I’ve been focusing on this. I have ups and downs every day, but when your life’s on the line….at least I have a chance.”
The former crack-smoking mayor, who lied to cover up his foray into the drug before fessing up months later, has undergone intense radiation therapy for months. He’s been through five rounds of chemotherapy and said doctors told him his tumor has shrunk from 12 cm by 12 cm to a more manageable — and operable — 5.6 by 4.3 by 4.6 cm.
Rob Ford: rare form of cancer
After months of abdominal pain, in September Ford, 45, was diagnosed with a rare form of soft-tissue cancer in the abdomen called pleomorphic liposarcoma. The diagnosis forced him to drop out of the race for the mayor of Toronto but he ran for council in Etobicoke instead and won handily.
What chances does Ford have surviving such a cancer? The Toronto Star reported that Dr. Walter Longo, chief of gastrointestinal surgery at Yale University, told them if the tumor is successfully removed he will have about a 50/50 chance of surviving.
Many have posted best wishes for Ford on social media, some noting they do not agree with his politics or behavior but wish him all the best regardless. “@TorontoRobFord you are far from my favorite person,” a Penelope Schofield tweeted. “But I would never wish ill health to you. Be well.”
Ford, who said he must get “mentally prepared for the surgery,” thanked Mt. Sinai Hospital staff and those who sent him support and best wishes. “I’m just lucky to get another chance at life,” he said.
