OTTAWA — NDP leader Jack Layton plans to lay out his political future Friday at a news conference in Toronto at 2:00 p.m.
Mr. Layton’s office issued an announcement saying he would “make an announcement about his personal status and his immediate future as NDP leader.”
According to CBC reports, Mr. Layton has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. According to NDP sources Mr. Layton’s cancer is treatable but may require time away and rest.
His role as leader of that party remains unclear. But according to sources he will not be running for Mayor of Toronto, a race that some speculated he would join.
[Source]
Updates:
3:03 pm EST, February 5th, 2010 — Layton press conference comments
I wish him the best.
I do wonder though, if he’ll go south of the border for treatment.
Get well Jack.
mid island mike.
Do not like the man nor his policies, however, wish him all the best and a speedy recovery.
I’m not a big fan of Layton either but wish him well in this fight. He may well indeed go south for treatment as he likes private hospitals allegedly using Toronto’s Private Shouldice hospital.in the past.
Prostate cancer is very common. If you live long enough, and are a man, fair chance you’ll have to deal with it (1 in 7 last I heard.) Although it can be deadly, it is one of the most treatable cancers, and Layton will likely go through treatment and be back pissing us all off in no time. I wish him well. I don’t think he will head South for treatment unless he was diagnosed late and is quite far advanced. There’s just no need.
It raises an interesting question, though. Without Jack Layton, what is the future of the NDP?
I have met the man, he’s a nice guy as long as he doesn’t start talking about his policies and ideas on how much influence government should intrude into, and influence our lives – they totally suck.
In a few months time guys like me are going to be looking for sponsors for the annual “Motorcycle Ride for Dad” – hopefully everyone across the country who is thinking about prostate cancer now will still be thinking about it then.
Check the site, find the city closest to you, and if you ride join us, if you don’t ride sponsor a biker.
Re: #6 — “In a few months time guys like me are going to be looking for sponsors for the annual “Motorcycle Ride for Dad”.
Good one SL…remind me closer to the date and I’ll post an entry (timing is important). Actually, you can do it yourself but if you’re to busy I’ll do it for you.
What is the treatment for prostrate cancer. I know it is treatable, but is it ever cured.
Just googled treatment for prostate cancer and there are many forms.
An interesting thing about Prostate Cancer is that most men “Die with it” rather than “Die of It”.
As much as Mini-Marx is a pain in the A$$, I wish him well.
If I’m able to do so, I will be riding this year, stageleft…
My father-in-law died of cancer which started in his prostate and spread throughout his body. Having seen his pain, I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. Get “the finger”, guys… it could save your life.
Good luck, Mr. Layton.
Stageleft: we’ve had a few “words” in the past, but on this i’ll cut across the divide. I’ve had prostate cancer and been treated for it. Into year 5 since. If you are looking for sponsors, let me know and I’ll be one for you.
As for treatment, there are a variety available now, more so and more info than there was available about 5 years ago. Personally I went the surgical route. radiation is an option but any surgeon will tell you that radiation treatments, although an alternative to surgury leave one “inoperable” if the cancer re-occurs post treatment. that is why I went surgical. My accountant, a fellow in his late 60′s just had treatment and went the Cryology route, a new option not available 5 years ago, freeze it and remove it. probably the same as for surgery, a lot of post op problems that seem to persist for the rest of your life.
As for “dying with it” – yes that is the case for some, but an agressive form will kill you quicker. Between the time I was diagnosed and the post op pathology, I went from one core out of ten in a biopsy, to fully involved a month later. If I had gone the “watchful waiting route” I’d be dead today, or well on my way.
I had kidney cancer 4 years prior to prostate cancer. I’d take kidney over prostate any time. Don’t mess with prostate cancer and get checked early, before 50 years old. “Managing” this kind of cancer is not the way to go. Deal with it.
Depending at what “stage” Jack!’s cancer is at will determine his outcome. This isn’t fun, I wish him luck.
Well he seems to be putting on a brave face about it but it must be very worrying and stressful even if this cancer has a high cure rate in most cases when caught early.
I wish him a quick recovery.
I do not wish Jack any I’ll will, but my guess is he will do whatever he needs to do to get well, which may include the Danny Williams gambit.
If so I would hope that it will have an impact on his politcal position on health care.
While we all wishe him a speedy and complete recovery, the most pressing and pertinent question (because he made his illness public) is whether the Canadian healthcare system will treat him any better (and faster) than an ordinary citizen. Sadly, mu guess is that it will. Even if he does not actively pursue such advantages, he will get priority treatment, will probably not have a problem finding the best oncologist, and will receive associated benefits not generally available to others. That is the nature of the health care we have in Canada now.
I very much disagree with Jack Layton politically, however on the personal human level I wish him well.
Cancer doesn’t discriminate whether you are a Communist or Reformer.
It is a very distressing time knowing one is dealing with cancer.
Personally I went the surgical route for my cancerous prostate in 1997.
Not before going through extensive tests to determine if the cancer had migrated into the bones in my body.
Had that been the case, the surgeon would not have even operated,as at that stage he indicated the cancer as “hopeless”,and “that’s life”.
During the intervening years the PSA count remains satisfactory, my surgeon specialist will not tell me I am cured, simply indicating that the situation remains controlled.
There is a downside to surgery, but wearing a maxipad daily or dealing with trimix and syringe when one gets horny is a small price to pay and much better than the alternative that non-surgery held in store in the long haul.
Early detection is critical to survival.
I have nothing but praise for my surgeon specialist who practices in Woodstock Ontario, and I didn’t have to deal with stressful wait times.
I was told of my cancer on my sixty-fifth birthday, thirteen years ago yesterday.
But I reiterate, my specialist surgeon will not tell me I am cured!
Wishing him a full and speedy recovery. As he recovers he may recognize our soldiers’ rights against the Taliban killers. They need to stay alive to fight the killers day after day. Every illness is a disguised opportunity as Jack Layton is bound to discover.
Layton will do anything to get in the news.
His fight against the very treatable cancer will no doubt be politicized to parallel his fighting spirit in government.
While I wish his health no ill, his politics couldn’t die quick enough for many.
It is his choice alone to link them.
@Mac: where do you ride out of?
@jt: there are many things in life that transcend personal politics, this is one of them – 2010 will mark the 5th year in a row I’ve been on the ride
@stageleft, I didn’t have a bike last year but I saw an email circulated looking for guys to ride in Ottawa. I will likely either join that group or ride with my neighbours in Nepean.
@Mac: Nepean? Good god man, I’m just over here tucked in between Carling Ave. & Richmond Rd. near the mall – we’re practically neighbours for Pete’s sake… when do we go for coffee or a cold one?
Sounds like a plan. When I get back from my current deployment in Vancouver, let’s do it!
Set your own life time easier get the business loans and everything you want.