Following major mouth cancer surgery in August 2022, Australian singer John Farnham has hit some bumps in the road to recovery.
In the musician’s highly-anticipated tell-all memoir released in October 2024, his wife, Jill, revealed details about his cancer journey, and spoke on the possibility of him singing again.
“I don’t know if John will sing again. It just depends,” she wrote in the book, titled The Voice Inside.
“Because of the radiation, that whole side of his face is rock hard. The flesh, the muscle, the tendons, none of it is supple.”
Jill went on to say that surgeons are currently “working out how to loosen it all”, adding that John is very “disappointed” at the prospect of not being able to return to the stage again.
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John Farnham was diagnosed with cancer in 2022. (Credit: Getty)
In August 2023, John Farnham released his first statement since his surgery to remove the cancerous tumour from his mouth.
“I am the luckiest man I know right now,” he said of being “all clear” of cancer.
“It’s been a year since my first surgery and to be honest I’ve lost count as to how many other procedures there’s been since then. I’m sure someone’s kept track of them all – let’s just say, there’s been a few.”
His family got him through it, being there every step of the way. “But, I’m home now and I’m a very grateful and happy man. I’m sitting here in my living room lapping up the attention from my beautiful wife, Jill, my boys Rob and James and my mini Schnauzer, Edmund.”
“It’s only now that I can start to appreciate and comprehend, for myself, how many messages of love and support have been sent to me over the past year.”
Thanking his fans for supporting him, he stated “I don’t know what to say, other than thank you so very much.”
John’s wife and two sons, Rob and James, also released a statement in May 2023 where they provided an update to fans after the singer suffered a chest infection.
“We’re pleased to say that John made a full recovery from a recent chest infection in late March which required hospitalisation,” they said.
“He is now comfortable and continues to receive ongoing treatment and rehabilitation care.
“The family would like to re-iterate their appreciation and deepest respect for all the medical staff that has attended to John over the past eight months and the many thousands of kind messages that [have] been received from across Australia and the world.”
Despite a two-month road to recovery, at the time of the infection, the family assured fans he was “responding well” and was “comfortable” with “the specialist care he’s receiving.”
The chest infection came about roughly eight months after his operation in August, which was a 12-hour marathon surgery with 26 surgeons stepping in to assist in the efforts to remove a cancerous growth from the musician’s mouth and part of his jaw.
The legendary singer is one of Australia’s most successful performers. (Credit: Instagram)
Close family friend and the wife of his manager, Gaynor Wheatley, said the singer is now rebuilding his life after his fight with cancer.
“He’s in the rebuild side of the battle and he’s good and he’s funny and his eyes are sparkling blue and it’s wonderful. It’s a f**king miracle,” she told The Daily Telegraph.
Even recently, the 75-year-old had been reported to have entertained his family over Christmas with a game of music trivia.
”He was MC with the family all gathered around and we laughed as we were all tested on our musical knowledge,” long-time friend, David Wilson told The Daily Telegraph.
”It is a process, it is slow and steady as she goes. He is going well.”
John and his wife ‘Jillie’ have been married for over 50 years. (Credit: Facebook)
Prior to his surgery in 2023, John’s family released a statement on his behalf.
“Cancer diagnosis is something that so many people face every single day, and countless others have walked this path before me,” John explained in the statement.
“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.”
In October 2022, John’s sons spoke with A Current Affair and told host Tracy Grimshaw that they hoped the worst of their father’s health scare was behind them.
”He’s almost back to his normal self, just dropping jokes all the time. He’s a performer at heart and he’s always trying to make people laugh,” Robert said.
John was reported to be in high spirits six months on from his major cancer surgery. (Credit: Getty)
Whilst it is unlikely that John Farnham will ever perform again, the only thing that matters to his family is a continual recovery.
The legendary singer is one of Australia’s most successful performers, known best for his 1986 single You’re the Voice.
After joining the Australian music scene as a teen in the late 1960s as “Johnny Farnham,” the singer has gone on to receive 19 ARIA awards, was named Australian of the Year in 1987, and given an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1996.
