‘He just thought it was an ulcer’: John Farnham’s sons talk about recovery
Australian singing legend John Farnham is on the long road to recovery following his life-saving surgery, as his sons reveal for the first time how the cancerous growth in his mouth was discovered.
The 73-year-old underwent a 12-hour operation in August and was moved into a rehabilitation facility in late September. On Monday, the singer’s sons Rob, 41, and James, 34, thanked his fans for their support and well wishes following his diagnosis.
John Farnham with his wife Jill and sons Robert and James in 2018.
“We thank everyone who took the time to write a lot of these amazing messages to us,” Rob told A Current Affair.
“It was kind of comforting to know that Australia was behind him, I know that he appreciated that, I remember when we first told him, he got teary,” James said.
“He never expected everyone to still love him. It was nice for him to hear that, thank you everyone.”
Farnham’s sons revealed for the first time how their father became concerned about his health.
James said: “He was having trouble sleeping. He likes to sleep on his side and he had a lump on his cheek. So then mum noticed it too and made him to go the dentist and (he) had it checked. The dentist noticed it and referred him to someone who knew more about it.
“He just thought it was an ulcer and it turned out to be cancerous. It’s just terrifying,” Robert said.
Farnham performing in 2016.Credit:Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
The boys spent every day following Farnham’s surgery at his bedside and said they are not even thinking about whether he will sing again.
“There’s a long way to go, It’s definitely not on his mind. He just wants to get better,” Rob said. “He is in recovery now. He pulled through the surgery. That was hectic. Pretty hairy.”
Now in a rehabilitation facility, Farnham is finding his audience meeting new nurses on the ward daily and cracking jokes, according to his sons.
“Now he’s almost back to his normal self, just dropping jokes all the time. The nurses come in and it’s new people, a new audience. He’s a performer at heart and he’s always trying to make people laugh, which is just who he is.”
But it would’ve all fallen apart if not for Jill, his wife of 49 years, James said.
“She is an amazing woman, and has been strong through this whole thing and held us together at times,” Rob said.
Before his surgery, Farnham said a cancer diagnosis was something many people faced each day “and countless others have walked this path before me”.
His diagnosis came three years after he suffered a health scare and was hospitalised with a severe kidney infection.
Farnham shot to the top of the charts with his 1986 album Whispering Jack.
It produced one of the nation’s best-known anthems, You’re the Voice, and propelled Farnham to hero status.
AAP
A cultural guide to going out and loving your city. Sign up to our Culture Fix newsletter here.
Most Viewed in Culture
From our partners
Source: Read Full Article