TORONTO

May 11 will be Rob Ford’s biggest judgment day.

The Etobicoke councillor will undergo invasive surgery to remove a cancerous tumour, a relieved-looking Ford said Thursday outside Mount Sinai Hospital, after receiving news the tumour in his abdomen had shrunk after chemo and radiation and was now operable.

“I got good news today,” he told reporters, with his brother Doug Ford standing beside him. “I’ve been focusing on this. We have our ups and downs every day, but when your life’s on the line ... at least I have a chance.”

Ford, 45, was diagnosed with liposarcoma, a rare form of cancer, in September. Last week, he underwent an MRI and CT scan. Doctors said his tumour needed to shrink down to about 3 cm in order to be operated on. While it didn’t reach that size, it is now 5.6 cm x 5.3 cm x 4.6 cm.

“They’re happy how treatment went,” Ford said. “I don’t know if I would’ve got out of this without my family. I’m just lucky to be alive,” the embattled former mayor said, adding he planned to tell his children when he got home that evening.

Ford said there will be four surgeons involved in the eight-to-10-hour operation on May 11. He will be in hospital for 10 to 14 days and “out of commission” for four months, but hopes to be back to his job as councillor for Sept. 1. The plan is to cut 12 inches down into the groin.

“I’m pretty much writing off the summer,” he said. “It will be a serious operation.”

Ford’s sister, Kathy, and nephew Michael Ford, a school trustee, were both seen leaving the hospital.

When asked if he is concerned the tumour will grow back, Ford said the surgeons are “optimistic.”

“I’ve got to look for hernias, bleeding and infection,” he said. “With cancer, we don’t know how it got there. I did a scan in 2009 and there was nothing there, so it’s happened in the past five years. Will it come back? It very well could.”

Doug Ford said he was feeling “positive” for his brother and thanked the doctors and supporters.

“I just want Rob to get better,” he said.

Rob Ford, wearing a yellow daffodil on his jacket lapel, headed back to work at City Hall after talking to reporters.

jenny.yuen@sunmedia.ca

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