John Farnham has part of jaw removed during 12-hour mouth cancer surgery

John Farnham has had part of his jaw removed while undergoing treatment for mouth cancer.

The 73-year-old singer had ‘recently discovered’ a growth that turned out to be cancerous and endured a 12-hour operation on Tuesday but is now in a ‘stable condition’ after the tumour was removed.

The Australian star has been married to Jillian Billman since 1973 and shares sons Rob and James with her.

In a statement made on Wednesday, his family said: ‘John has been through an eleven-and-a-half-hour surgery in Melbourne yesterday and is now in a stable condition in ICU. The cancer tumour was located in his mouth, and it has been successfully removed.

It continued: ‘There is still a long road of recovery and healing ahead of us, but we know John is up for that task. We are in awe of the incredible teams of healthcare professionals who have guided us through this very challenging time with such compassion.

‘To all the surgeons, doctors, nurses and consultants – thank you one and all so very much.’

Jill, Rob and James also shared that they had been ‘genuinely overwhelmed by the incredible wave of support, love and messages’ they had received.

‘This means so much to us as a family. Thank you to everyone for this. John will be blown away.’

Following the announcement, Seven Network entertainment reporter Peter Ford explained that the You’re the Voice hitmaker had to undergo two separate surgeries following the diagnosis.

Speaking on The Morning Show he reported: ‘The first was the removal of the tumour from his mouth. After that was completed, the reconstructive team came in to take over and there was reconstructive surgery because part of John’s jaw had to be removed as part of tackling this.’

Prior to the surgery, John himself noted that ‘countless others’ had gone through the same ordeal and that he was ‘grateful’ for Australian healthcare.

‘Cancer diagnosis is something that so many people face every single day, and countless others have walked this path before me,’ he said.

‘The one thing I know for sure is that we have the very best specialist healthcare professionals in Victoria, and we can all be grateful for that. I know I am.’

Close family friend Gaynor Wheatley later explained on Mornings with Neil Mitchell that he was ‘coherent’ and ‘recovering nicely’ after experiencing no complications with his surgery.

‘His prognosis is good – he’s got a long way to go, he’ll stay in hospital for a couple of weeks and there’ll be ongoing treatments,’ she added.

One of Farnham’s best-known songs throughout his career, which has spanned almost 60 years, was You’re the Voice, which peaked at number one on the Australian charts in 1986.

That song’s album, Whispering Jack, also soared to the top of the charts for over five months, becoming the second top-selling album in Australian history.

Over the years, he’s received an array of accolades for his talent, including being inducted into the ARIA (Australian Recording Industry Association) Hall of Fame in 2003.

Farnham has received 21 ARIA Awards in total, as well as receiving prizes at the Countdown awards and the King of Pop awards.

Got a story?

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.

Source: Read Full Article