John Farnham was rushed to the hospital

John Farnham was taken to hospital with a respiratory infection.

His family confirmed in a statement that Farnham was recovering from major surgery at a rehab centre, before being admitted to hospital again this week.

“He is currently being treated for a respiratory infection in the hospital, but he is comfortable and receiving the best care.”

The legendary Australian singer, 73, underwent a 12-hour surgery to remove a tumor at a Melbourne hospital last August, shortly after she was diagnosed with oral cancer.

It is unlikely that Farnham will ever perform again.

Farnham had only discovered he had a precancerous growth in his mouth after his wife insisted he take him to the doctor for a check-up.

After the operation, she said, “The cancerous tumor was present in his mouth and was removed successfully.”

“We still have a long way to go to recovery and recovery, but we know John is ready for the task.”

Glenn Wheatley’s widow, Gaynor Wheatley, said the Farnham family only learned of the cancer a few weeks before surgery.

I think John suffers from that guy who says “I’m fine,” and he was lucky, and we have Jill to thank for taking him to the doctors (where) they found this legion in his mouth that’s now out and he spoke, she said to The Today Show at the time.

There were no complications, she said, and thanked the ‘hero’ surgeons who operated on Farnham.

“I think at one point there were 26 surgeons, so they’re our heroes, they’re our rock stars,” Wheatley said.

Farnham has spoken earlier about his smoking habit, which he says began when he was a “stupid” 14-year-old.

He left Cold Turkey in 1992 after starring in Jesus Christ Superstar, but came back again with Cigars in 2004.

He officially quit smoking forever before his 70th birthday

stupid habit. It was a little easier to quit cigars, but it’s better not to, I’m a bloody singer for God’s sake,” he told the Herald Sun in 2019.

I use my lungs. I have already noticed the change. I’ve increased my scope, I have more to offer, I’ve cleared the blockage.

Entertainment reporter Peter Ford said one of his sons received a “wake-up call” and told the singer, “Please stop smoking, Dad, I don’t want you to die.”

This led to him quitting cigarettes permanently.

“He was always puffing away,” the reporter said, “I don’t think he was ever proud of it.”

A cancer diagnosis was something many people face every day and “countless people have walked that path before me,” Farnham said, in a separate statement provided by the family prior to the surgery.

“One thing I know for sure is that we have the best healthcare professionals in Victoria and we can all be grateful for that,” he said.

It comes three years after Farnham was hospitalized with a severe kidney infection – which made him put down cigars forever.

More is coming