Ex Toronto mayor Rob Ford in pallative care

[jeaniebueller]

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www.freep.com/story/news/2016/03/21/ex-toronto-mayor-rob-ford-palliative-care/82094586/


Former Toronto mayor Rob Ford is in palliative care after battling a rare, aggressive cancer for the last two years, his chief of staff said in a statement Monday.



Late last week, Ford chief of staff Dan Jacobs confirmed that Ford, a controversial figure who now serves on the Toronto city council, had not responded to chemotherapy administered after the cancer that first appeared in his abdomen had reappeared last year in his bladder.



On Monday, Jacobs said in a statement that Ford remained at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, but that his regimen of care had changed.



"At this time, the treatment that Councillor Ford is receiving is palliative in nature," Jacobs said. "Palliative care is often administered in conjunction with other treatments, and he has in fact been receiving it almost since first becoming diagnosed, both at home and the hospital. This is quite typical for those who are diagnosed with serious illnesses and injuries. The purpose of palliative care is to deal with symptomatic issues, such as pain and discomfort, and physical and mental stress, and to allow the patient to be as comfortable as possible."



Ford is being sedated to help ease pain, Jacobs said in the statement.



"Doctors have been clear since Councillor Ford's diagnosis that he is dealing with an extremely serious illness," he said. "They are very concerned with the reappearance and progression of the disease, but everyone is hopeful that his body will be able to fight back enough that he can then undergo further treatment."



Ford's relatives have spent days and nights with him, Ford's brother, Doug Ford, told the Toronto Star.



"Rob is a fighter and continues to fight," Doug Ford said. "We are so grateful for all the support for him from all over the world."



Ford, 46, became known internationally known after a 2013 scandal in which he admitted to crack cocaine use, public drunkenness and drinking and driving, prompting colleagues to strip him of some of his mayoral powers. The scandal vaulted Ford onto the stage of the outrageous, and despite the negative attention, he aimed for a second run as mayor. But in the fall of 2014, Ford announced he had a rare form of cancer called liposarcoma that grows in the fat cells, and that he had a tumor in his abdomen. The diagnosis forced him to drop his reelection campaign, but he reemerged on the political scene in October 2014, winning his old Toronto City Council seat representing Ward 2.



Last spring, Ford had surgery to remove the abdominal tumor, but in November, his brother, Doug Ford, said Rob Ford had two tumors on his bladder.



Ford served as mayor of Toronto from 2010 to 2014. After his cancer diagnosis and withdrawal from the mayoral race, he sought out and won his old seat on the Toronto City Council.



In the wake of the developments involving the seriousness of his condition, supporters flooded a website with words of encouragement for the former mayor.



Ford's family set up the website GetWellRobFord.com.



"Sending thoughts and prayers your way," wrote supporter Kathy P.



Wrote supporter C. Lee, "I've always admired your 'authenticity' & your down-to-earth humanity."





USA TODAY

[Deleted]

Shit. Poor guy

[anastasia517]

When I read "Ex Toronto Mayor Rob Ford" I expected the ending of the sentence to be very different.

I hope he is not in pain and wish peace for his loved ones.

[2doxies]

That sounds really awful, I hope they're able to manage his pain.

[claudiajean]

So sad.

[thebulldog]

I just saw he died.

Sent from my SM-G900P using proboards

[mbcdefg]

He was only 46? Geez, so young (not that it's not terrible regardless of age).

What a shame