Retiring Victorian Greens MP Tim Read says immunotherapy is working after a metastatic cancer diagnosis, describing treatment as a “wild ride”.
Victorian Greens MP Tim Read says immunotherapy treatment is delivering early results following a diagnosis of metastatic cancer, as he prepares to retire from politics at the November state election.
Speaking to reporters at a doorstop, Read said he was “feeling much better” and that immunotherapy appeared to be reducing the spread of the disease.
“Immunotherapy is a wild ride. It seems to be working,” he said.
“I’ve got widespread cancer but I’ve got about half what I had. So I’m actually feeling increasingly hopeful.”
Read said ongoing medical appointments would limit his attendance in parliament but stressed he remained optimistic about continuing through to the end of the year.
“I will be missing lots of parliament for appointments and things like that but I’m really optimistic and hoping that I’ll get to the end of the year,” he said.
He ended the exchange with reporters by saying: “I’m not dead yet.”
Read, the Greens MP for Brunswick, announced last week he would not contest the November election. The inner-Melbourne seat is considered safe for the Greens, held on a margin of 13.5 percentage points over Labor.
