TORONTO - Councillor Rob Ford’s family was optimistic he would win the “big battle ahead of him” after his cancer surgery “success” on Monday.

After months of chemotherapy and radiation treatments, the former mayor went into Mount Sinai Hospital on Monday for an all-day surgery to remove a tumour in his abdomen.

Eleven hours later, Ford’s office announced he was “fully conscious and recovering from his surgery.

“The procedure, which included nearly 10 hours of anesthesia, went as the team expected, with no surprises,” said the last of several statements issued by Ford’s office.

“There were no new growths, the cancer had not spread beyond what they were already aware of, and they were able to remove all the existing growths without causing damage to any internal structures.

“The clinical team has declared that they consider the operation to be a success.”

As Ford’s surgery was wrapping up, Ford’s brother, Doug, said they spent the day praying he would make it through and were “100% confident that he will.

“He has a big battle ahead of him and with all the support and love he has out there, I’m sure he’ll make it through,” he said.

“We just want to thank the people of Toronto, how grateful our family is for the outpouring of support,” added Ford, who lauded the efforts of staff at Mount Sinai.

According to the latest update from Ford’s chief of staff, Dan Jacobs, the 45-year-old politician was in some pain but he was under the care of one of the hospital’s pain management teams.

Ford is expected to spend the next two weeks in hospital and four months recovering at home.

The operation included removing a small piece of Ford’s abdominal wall and sewing a biologic mesh into its place.

“This mesh will take several months, to heal,” Ford’s spokesman warned. “Doctors have advised the councillor that he will need to take it especially easy for the first two to three months, but will need to keep stress on the area low for several months following this initial period.” As Ford went into surgery around 8 a.m. on Monday, Jacobs tweeted a picture of his boss giving two thumbs up to the camera.

“@TorontoRobFord ready to roll,” Jacobs wrote.

At the ceremonial dedication of University Ave. as Nelson Mandela Blvd. on Monday, Mayor John Tory noted Ford’s surgery, saying, “I know everybody here and everybody across the city is saying a prayer for him and wishing him well.”

credit link:  http://www.chathamdailynews.ca/2015/05/11/rob-ford-in-hospital-for-cancer-surgery