John Farnham is in intensive care and ‘responding well’ after undergoing a marathon 12-hour surgery to remove a cancerous tumour from his mouth.
The 73-year-old is still in ICU a week after the 12-hour long operation carried out by 26 medical staff on Tuesday, which also saw a major part of his jaw removed.
His wife Jill and sons Rob and James released a family statement providing an update on the music legend’s condition.
‘John remains in a stable condition in ICU following the removal of a cancerous tumour in his mouth on Tuesday,’ the Farnham family said.
‘He is awake and responding well to the care he’s receiving.’
The Farnham family went on to thank music fans for their support.
John Farnham is in intensive care and ‘responding well’ after undergoing a marathon 12-hour surgery to remove a cancerous tumour from his mouth
Farnham’s wife Jill and sons Rob and James released a family statement providing an update on the music legend’s condition (Pictured: Farnham with Olivia Newton-John in February 2020)
The musician is being supported by his wife Jill and their two adult sons Robert and James (pictured, the Farnham family pose for a photo in 2018)
‘The Farnham family want to acknowledge and thank everyone for their ongoing messages and well wishes that have been shared throughout the last week,’ they said.
‘It really lifts our spirits knowing that everyone is thinking of John.’
Entertainment reporter Peter Ford said Farnham is likely to remain in hospital for several weeks.
‘He is potentially going to be there for several weeks, the family don’t want to get into a habit of releasing a daily statement, because most days there won’t be anything to report, this will be a long and arduous process for his recovery,’ Ford explained.
Farnham’s family have also launched a website, John.com.au, where Aussies can leave messages for the singer as he recovers in hospital.
‘As John is not active on social media, and with the consent of the Farnham family, this website has been established as a way for fans to write and send messages of love and support to John,’ the website says.
Late last week, Ford said there were doubts Farnham would take to the stage again after the death of his dear friend and manager Glenn Wheatley in February this year, but added it was even more unlikely now.
‘Certainly now you have to say there’s even a lesser chance (of him performing),’ he told 6PR on Wednesday.
Farnham had only discovered he had the cancerous growth in his mouth after his wife Jill insisted on taking him to the doctor for a check up.
‘The cancer tumour was located in his mouth and it has been successfully removed,’ Mrs Farnham said.
‘There is still a long road of recovery and healing ahead of us, but we know John is up for that task.’
Farnham is now stable in the ICU and will remain in hospital for some time as he recovers.
Farnham’s family confirmed he was in a stable condition in the ICU after the massive surgery on Tuesday
Mr Ford said the first part of his surgery was the removal of his tumour.
‘And then after that was done, almost immediately the reconstructive team moved in because John did have to have, I’m told, a major part of his jaw removed,’ he said.
Gaynor Wheatley, the widow of Glenn Wheatley, said Farnham’s family only learnt of his cancer a few weeks ago.
‘I think John suffers from that man thing that says ”I’m fine”, and was lucky, and we have Jill to thank to take him to the doctors (where they) found this legion in his mouth which has now been taken out and addressed,’ she told The Today Show on Wednesday.
She said there was no complications overnight, and thanked the ‘hero’ surgeons who operated on Farnham.
‘I think at one stage there was 26 surgeons, so they’re our heroes, they’re our rockstars,’ Ms Wheatley said.
She added that Farnham was expected to be ‘looking great’ by Christmas.
‘There will be a period of time in hospital just recovering from the surgery, and ongoing treatment to ensure we’ve got it all,’ she said.
The Farnham family confirmed he is now recovering in the ICU, and thanked health workers for their efforts.
‘We are in awe of the incredible teams of health care professionals who have guided us through this very challenging time with such compassion,’ they said.
‘All of you undertook this big job today and gave us a magnificent outcome.
‘To all the surgeons, doctors, nurses and consultants – thank you one and all so very much.’
Mr Ford earlier reported the singer had emerged from surgery on Tuesday evening, after ‘cracking jokes’ with hospital staff prior to the delicate procedure.
He said the lengthy surgery, which lasted from 8am to 7.30pm, pointed to the ‘severity of the situation’ but said Farnham had been in high spirits.
‘John’s surgery began at 8.00am this morning and was successfully completed at 7.30pm tonight. He has now been transferred to ICU and is in a stable condition,’ his family said in a statement on Tuesday night.
Farnham earlier opened up about his smoking habit, which he says began when he was a ‘stupid’ 14-year-old.
Farnham underwent an almost 12-hour surgery to remove a tumour from his mouth on Tuesday
He quit ‘cold turkey’ in 1992 after starring in Jesus Christ Superstar, but picked up the habit again with cigars in 2004.
He officially quit smoking for good just before his 70th birthday
‘Stupid habit. It was a little easier to quit from cigars, but I’m better off not smoking, I’m a bloody singer for God’s sake,’ he told the Herald Sun in 2019.
‘I’m using my lungs. I’ve already noticed the change. I’ve increased my range, I’ve got a bit more to give, I’ve taken a blockage out.’
Mr Ford said Farnham was given a ‘wake up call’ by one of his sons who told the singer ‘please stop smoking dad, I don’t want you to die’.
That led to him cutting out cigarettes for good.
‘He was always puffing away, I don’t think he was ever proud of it,’ the reporter said.
Farnham, in a separate statement provided by the family, said a cancer diagnosis was something many people face each day ‘and countless others have walked this path before me’.
‘The one thing I know for sure is that we have the very best specialist health care professionals in Victoria and we can all be grateful for that. I know I am,’ he said.
Farnham is most well-known for his hit single You’re the Voice, which was released in September 1986
The family has requested privacy at this time.
It comes three years after Farnham was hospitalised with a severe kidney infection – which saw him put down cigars for good.
The musician’s family issued a statement revealing his cancer battle on Tuesday morning sending shockwaves through the entertainment industry.
‘We have recently discovered that John has a cancerous growth. He has been admitted to hospital this morning for surgery and ongoing treatment,’ it read.
Farnham also provided a statement, in which he said cancer diagnosis was something that ‘so many people face every single day’.
‘The one thing I know for sure is that we have the very best healthcare professionals in Victoria, and we can be grateful for that. I know I am,’ he said.
Ford earlier on Tuesday said Farnham’s family was ‘quietly confident things are going to be fine’ and that surgeons were optimistic all traces of the cancerous growth could be removed.
‘They don’t want people panicking. His wife is there, his two sons are there with him. The doctors are confident that they’re able to get it,’ he said on Sunrise.
‘What is it, we do now know, the family did not want to specify what type of cancer is is or where on the body it is. Fingers crossed it’ll be a good outcome.’
Farnham, best known for his iconic Aussie anthem You’re the Voice, said cancer was something that ‘so many people face every single day’.
A source said the musician was being supported by his wife Jill and two adult sons Robert and James.
The revelation comes just weeks after the Australian music industry was rocked by the death of Farnham’s long-time friend and collaborator, Olivia Newton-John, following her long battle with breast cancer.
The Farnham family expressed their ‘love and sympathies’ to Newton-John’s family in a statement following her death on August 8.
‘Behind that iconic smile was a tenacious fighter. A beautiful voice and a loyal friend. She will be greatly missed,’ the statement read.
He was the last person to perform on stage with Newton-John, at the Fire Fight Australia bushfire relief concert held in February 2020. He performed three songs and a duet with the Grease star.
John, pictured with wife Jillian Billman in 1973, had recently given up his 56-year smoking habit and cut down on alcohol
Farnham’s family revealed the news of the legendary singer’s cancer diagnosis this morning
Farnham also lost his long-time friend and manager Glenn Wheatley, 74, in February, who died of complications from Covid-19.
Farnham’s wife Jillian told Daily Mail Australia at the time that her husband was ‘too unwell’ to publicly discuss the loss of the legendary music producer.
Wheatley masterminded the rise of Farnham in the early 1980s at a time when the musician was struggling to feed his family.
Farnham sang his way into Australian hearts as a fresh-faced teenager in the 1960s but had faded into near-obscurity before his most famous album Whispering Jack shot him back to the top some 20 years later.
The 1986 album featured one of the nation’s most popular pop music anthems, You’re the Voice, and propelled Farnham to iconic status.
Farnham followed up Whispering Jack with his chart-topping albums Age of Reason (1988) and Chain Reaction (1990).
His cancer diagnosis is not the first time Farnham has faced a major health battle.
In 2019, he was forced to cancel his Australian tour at the last minute when he was admitted to hospital with a severe kidney infection.
‘I didn’t realise until too late. I’d been feeling uncomfortable. My wife Jill had been telling me to go to the doctor,’ he explained at the time.
Farnham was the last person to perform on stage with Olivia Newton-John, at the Fire Fight Australia bushfire relief concert held in February 2020
‘I was very unwell there for a while,’ he said, adding that he was ‘good now’ and ‘it gave me a wake-up call to look after myself a bit more’.
The kidney infection developed after he underwent a surgical procedure three months earlier which had also led to shows being cancelled.
Farnham said he completely overhauled his lifestyle after the health scare, including by quitting smoking and cutting back on alcohol.
After battling the kidney infection, he held a charity concert to support Australia’s farming community during the devastating drought, which raised more than $4.4million.
‘We’re talking about generations of farmers losing their properties or animals because of drought and in some cases losing their lives or hurting themselves,’ he said at the time.
Farnham has been recognised with several major honours and awards, including 1987 Australian of the Year, 1996 Officer of the Order of Australia, and 19 ARIA Awards, including his 2003 induction into the Hall of Fame.
Farnham was born in 1949 in Dagenham, England, and at age 10 emigrated to Australia with his family, who settled in Melbourne.
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