Ian Ross, a former news anchor at both Channels Nine and Seven, has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and told he only has five months to live.
In the weeks before Christmas, Ross went to see the doctor because of a sore foot last year but a routine blood test revealed the 73-year-old media veteran had cancer that had already spread to his liver.
''But while I agree with the diagnosis, I do not necessarily agree with the prognosis," Ross said in an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald in which he affirmed his hope to fight and "get on with it" now that he has made the news public.
"I have decided that the only way to handle this friggin' nightmare is to remain as positive about it as I possibly can and to get back to leading as 'normal' a life as possible," Ross said from his Gold Coast home which he shares with Grey Bolte, his partner of 22 years.
"Right now I feel healthy and well, I have no symptoms … but I don't know how long that will last for.''
Known as Roscoe by the millions of viewers who tuned in nightly to watch him deliver the day's top stories, he retired in 2009 at the end of a career that spanned 50 years.
Ross started out at Sydney's 2GB radio station in 1957, later switching to Channel Nine where he was best known for reading the news bulletins on the Today program.
He was lured out of his first retirement in 2003 when Channel Seven offered him the 6pm Sydney anchor's position.
As he now tries to maintain some normality in his battle against cancer, Ross said he is receiving much love and support from his three adult children and eight grandchildren and his ex-wife.
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😞 He's one of my favourite newsreaders!
