The Leader of the People’s National Party Dr. Peter Phillips said he is “in full recovery mode” after the surgery he had done to remove cancerous tissue from his colon.
The opposition leader spoke in a video message on Tuesday and revealed that doctors found an anomaly, during his routine medical examination not long ago and they wanted to move rapidly to have it removed because the COVID crisis was getting worse in the country.
“I feel the goodwill and the love, and I want to say thank you very much for your prayers and your good thoughts,” the leader said as he thanked well-wishers for their kind thoughts during what he said was a difficult time.
A statement from the medical team that treated Mr. Phillips revealed that a health evaluation of Mr. Phillips was done by Professor, Terrence Forrester, at the University Hospital of the West Indies and Consultant Surgeon, Dr. Mark Newnham, the test resulted in a diagnosis of stage 3 curable colon cancer, on Tuesday.
For a few more months, Phillips will need further preventative treatment that will be in the form of chemotherapy, as an outpatient, while he continues doing his public duties, sources revealed.
The medical and surgical teams of Mr. Phillips are optimistic and they are looking forward to complete remission, based on what they see happening worldwide with the management at this stage. A release stated also that the Leader of the Opposition will be on leave for two more weeks.
The PNP reported that the officers of the party were briefed by the medical and surgical teams who attended to the leader.
“The party officers said they fully understood and supported the doctors’ position of not making a public statement before completing their testing and evaluation regime, and are imploring all Jamaicans to support Dr. Phillips’ need for privacy at this time as he enters the next phase of recuperation,” the report stated.
The statement also stated “The PNP officers are also assuring PNP members and supporters that during the next two weeks, while the president is still on leave, the regular party activities, that are permissible within the Novel Coronavirus protocols, will proceed and the party will continue to play its part in ensuring compliance with the national emergency.”
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