Surgery scheduled

Michael's surgery for Oesophageal Cancer is scheduled for Saturday 22 September in Sydney.

He will spend up to three weeks in hospital to recover from the oesophagectomy (the removal of his oesophagus and many of the lymph nodes in the region) before returning home to Canberra to continue his recuperation.

Initial tests last week revealed the tomour had shrunk as a result of radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Doctors hope to be able to remove all remaining evidence of the cancer during surgery.

Michael is expecting to make a full recovery and return to bike riding and skiing in 2008.

On the weekend, he and partner Penni Lewer we married at their home in Canberra in the company of close family and friends.