TORONTO — Former mayor Rob Ford will undergo another round of chemotherapy, after doctors informed him that a tumour found on his bladder is consistent with a previous malignant tumour that was surgically removed from his abdomen in May.
“Basically we’re praying that it’s benign but you’ve got to deal with the realistic part of things and (we’re) 99 per cent sure that it’s malignant,” an emotional Rob Ford told reporters outside of Mount Sinai Hospital.
“It just gets emotional because I worked so hard to get to this point and you know I was getting in better shape, I was feeling great you know, I feel better than I ever have in my life and now I’m just right back to square one so I have to start all over.”
READ MORE: Rob Ford announces doctors have discovered new tumour on his bladder
The city councillor’s brother said doctors believed the tumour was similar to the pleomorphic liposarcoma he was diagnosed with in Sept. 2014 that was surgically removed in May.
“We spoke to a couple of doctors and they’re saying that the tumour is consistent with the previous tumour, we don’t know 100 per cent if it’s connected to the bladder but it’s pushing up against it and Rob’s going to be starting chemo early next week, he just has a few more tests they need to do,” Doug Ford said.
“Rob’s going to keep fighting and just pray everything works out. But this is another big challenge.”
Doug Ford said doctors have yet to determine the exact size of the tumour, but said that he had “never seen him in this much pain” because the tumour was pressing up against his bladder.
“The best news is that we only have to do two rounds of chemo … they can operate at Christmas time, that’s my Christmas gift,” Rob Ford said, adding that if two rounds weren’t effective they would do an additional three rounds.
“I’m optimistic but I’m a realist too. If this has spread once, where else has it gone? … It’s the type of cancer that does spread. I can’t control that, that’s what it is. I just have to deal with it.”
READ MORE: Tory wishes Rob Ford ‘speedy recovery’ from health setback
Rob Ford thanked members of the public for their “outpouring of support,” adding that he had received flowers and cards.
“My wife and my kids are the most important three people in my life and I can’t thank people enough for supporting my family,” he said.
“I can’t thank them enough and you know, if I pass before my time, I just ask people to please try to help out Dougie and Stephanie and Renata in any way you can.”
WATCH: Emotional Rob Ford talks about trying to stay positive, optimistic following new cancer diagnosis
Ford said he began feeling a sharp, shooting pain about a month ago after urinating.
“For at least five, 10 minutes I just sat there and just shook because of the pain. And I couldn’t go anywhere and I couldn’t do anything,” he said.
“So it’s not good, it’s not good at all, but all I can do is fight and I will. I’ll fight and I won’t stop fighting until the day I die.”
Ford said the news has been challenging for his family, even more so than the first tumour, because it “totally caught me off guard.”
“My message is just live for every day to its fullest. If you can get something done, go do it,” he said.
“I live every day to its fullest. When I say that I mean eight hours I sleep and the rest of the time I do whatever my kids want to do and my wife wants to do. That’s pretty well it. I return phone calls and help people out.”
The former mayor described being in “excruciating pain” as the tumour pressed against his bladder, but medication provided by doctors has alleviated it.
“We’re going to have to do more tests tomorrow. I’ll probably have to be here everyday for the next five days. It’s five days for chemo and then three weeks off. I don’t think I’m going to be going home in three weeks,” he said, adding that he will remain at the hospital to treat any unexpected issues.
“I’d love to have people come down but I can’t right now, I don’t want to be rude it would just be hard on our family … so we’ll take it from there and hopefully when I get better I will come out and get back in my fighting form, but I’m not in my fighting form now — far from it.”
Ford mentioned he was debating whether to seek treatment at medical facilities in the U.S., either in Texas or New York, but said he’s still undecided and doesn’t “want to offend the people that saved my life a year ago.”
Doug Ford also said that doctors have a clearer picture of the tumour after numerous scans were performed, adding that doctors will initiate another round of chemo early next week, but called the experience “shattering” for the family.
Ford’s health caused him to drop out of the 2014 mayoral race. His brother Doug ran in his place, but lost to John Tory.
Ford has been sitting as a councillor for Etobicoke Ward 2 since Oct. 2014.
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