Studio 10 star Jono Coleman reveals his secret year-long cancer battle
Studio 10 star Jonathan Coleman has revealed that he has secretly been battling advanced prostate cancer for a year.
Coleman, who is known for his good sense of humour, talked to Studio 10 about the diagnosis that he has kept secret since June last year.
He told host Sarah Harris that the life-changing news came one day when he skipped work drinks to attend a doctor’s appointment.
“It’s Friday afternoon, you guys are all at the pub having drinks and I’ve got a man with his finger up my bottom,” he said.
“Within five minutes he said, ‘Yes well I can tell you your prostate is enlarged and there’s a hard lump so I’d say you’ve got cancer.'
“People say your life starts flashing before you, there was a touch of that, we were like, ‘Okay, what are we going to do, we’ve got the kids, we’ve got Oscar and Emily.”
The 62-year-old has undergone six months of treatment at St Vincent’s Hospital.
The treatment included Coleman completing 18 weeks of chemotherapy, followed by seven weeks of radiotherapy at the Kinghorn Centre and the Genesis Centre.
In an emotional segment on the show, host Angela Bishop revealed that her late husband Peter Baikie, Coleman and fellow Ten presenter Barry Du Bois all received treatment together.
“Pete and Jono would find themselves at the Kinghorn together and sometimes with Baz,” she said.
“It was a bit of a Channel 10 club up there, but you were all such a tremendous support for each other.”
Coleman released a statement to The Daily Telegraph explaining his current health status.
“In June 2017, I was diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer. Under the watchful eye of Prof Philip Stricker at St Vincent’s Hospital and all the staff at Kinghorn Centre and Genesis Centre, I started treatment that included chemotherapy and radiotherapy. I’m still receiving ongoing hormone injections and despite being totally in the clear, will continue treatment for the foreseeable months. I am committed to keeping up my treatment, medication and maintaining a lifestyle that is conducive to my recovery.”
Coleman thanked all those who have given him support since he received the diagnosis.
“I’ve continued to work hard on Studio 10 and until recently on my nightly radio show, Talking Lifestyle at Macquarie Media. In true ‘Jono Coleman’ form, I’ve been making jokes and sending myself up throughout my treatment. I’m incredibly blessed and so lucky to have the support of my wife and children, friends, workmates, and a top notch medical team all in my corner. As I say, onward and upwards, with a smile on my dial!”