TORONTO – Mayor Rob Ford will begin his fourth round of chemotherapy Monday as he continues to battle a rare form of cancer diagnosed in September.
“It really knocks me out. It makes me sick,” he told reporters Friday afternoon. “You don’t want to do this, it’s the worst.”
Ford began chemotherapy in October to treat a 12 cm x 12 cm tumour which doctors found in his abdomen. He was diagnosed with pleomorphic liposarcoma.
Doctors hoped chemo would shrink the tumour enough so they could surgically remove it. Ford said he’s scheduled for three more rounds.
“I guess the good news is that it hasn’t moved. That’s all they can say and according to them that’s good news,” he said. “It’s good and it’s bad but with the fast rate of growth this cancer has, it’s good that it hasn’t.”
Ford was at city hall to sign and sell bobbleheads and he said he is still returning calls from his constituents.
Ford was re-elected as a councillor in Etobicoke’s Ward 2 in the Oct. 27 election and said, if he can, he’ll be at council during the first session in December.
“If I’m fine, I’ll be there. I’ll be here as much as I can,” he said. “I’ve been here a lot during this break from November to December. I’m trying my best to take care of my constituents.”
It’s not known if the mayor will be chosen to chair a board or sit on mayor-elect John Tory’s executive committee when the next term of council begins in December. He said he’s spoken to Tory twice since the election but they have not discussed appointments.
“That’s up to John, if he wants to put me in opposition that’s up to him. I’ll be watching every dime that comes out of this place,” he said.
Ford’s four-year term as mayor was dominated by personal scandals — including crack use, sexist remarks and alcohol abuse — but he said his tenure will be remembered for his accomplishments.
“People are going to remember that I saved money, that I did what I said I was going to do.”
Comments