A gaunt and slightly tired looking, yet very sharp and chipper MLP leader Alfred Sant, yesterday delivered his first press conference since being treated for a colon tumour at the party’s headquarters, ending in reply to a question put by The Malta Independent: “I’m coming back.”

Dr Sant was replying to a very simply put question, after giving a lengthy account of his illness, surgery and operation. TMID asked: “Perhaps what people really want to know is how you are feeling in yourself. Would you care to answer?”

Prior to that, Dr Sant’s delivery was in-depth, monotone in nature and mostly focused on technicalities, although he was smiling for the cameras and putting on a brave face while giving very intimate details of the illness he is battling.

Once that question was asked, the gleam returned to Dr Sant’s eyes and the Opposition Leader seemed to shake off the awkwardness of the situation: “I feel like I’m coming back,” he said, eyes glinting with a grin flashed in my direction.

Dr Sant said he decided to spill the beans on the whole matter in an effort to maintain transparency. “It has become the norm for private citizens in prominent positions to lift the lid on their experiences, and I have decided to do the same in order to maintain the level of transparency of the Malta Labour Party,” said Dr Sant.

Dr Sant delivered the press conference alongside MP Michael Farrugia, consultant specialist Mario Vassallo and surgeon Anthony Zammit, whom he thanked for their professionalism and friendship during the turbulent past few weeks.

Speaking about the illness itself, Dr Sant said that it crept up on him in the run up to Christmas. “I was tiring and losing my breath, especially when going uphill. I thought I was overworked and although I may have procrastinated for a while, I eventually took a blood test. This is where they found that I had a very low red blood cell count. I was losing a lot of blood and I didn’t even realise it, I was on the verge of anaemia,” he said.

He then underwent a gastro-colonoscopy and a CT scan on 22 December. “It was during Christmas time and I really did not want to create problems for my family, but it was decided that part of my large intestine needed to be removed,” he said. Dr Sant paused to thank his daughter, her mother, his brothers and their families and his mother, for supporting him through a very difficult time.

The operation was carried out without delay, on 27 December at Mater Dei. “Prof. Zammit’s surgery was a success, and the affected part of the large intestine was removed. The tumour found inside was diagnosed as a ‘Duke’s B’. No other organs were effected so this was curative surgery,” said Dr Sant. He was discharged from hospital on 4 January to begin a period of convalescence, which Dr Sant said he is half way through. He offered his sincere thanks to the staff of the hospital for giving him sterling care, from nurses to specialists. He also thanked members and supporters of the MLP as well as others who saw him though “a very difficult time”.

Eighty-three per cent of patients who undergo such operations are cured for life. After the operation, the medical team sent Dr Sant’s results to the Royal Marsden Oncology Hospital in London for a second opinion. “I was lucky, my results arrived by DHL on the same day as the fire, but they were not damaged,” joked the MLP leader.

The hospital agreed with the Maltese medical team’s assessment, in that there was no need for more tests and that the surgery was curative. However, they suggested that Dr Sant boost his chances to 87 per cent by undergoing a course of chemotherapy in pill form. The issue was discussed and Dr Sant decided to go for it. “Firstly, I feel that four per cent is a significant amount when you are looking at survival after this type of operation. Secondly, any side effects which might arise (such as mouth blisters and nausea) are treatable and will not affect my capacity to lead the MLP,” he said.

The drugs, to clarify, are not part of any treatment related to the tumour that has just been removed.

In closure, Dr Sant said that it was soon time for the country to make important political decisions. “We want a civil election campaign, that centres on political, social and economic choices, and on who will be the most efficient and honest in running the country,” said Dr Sant.

He said he was convinced that the people of Malta and Gozo knew that there was only one choice to bring about change, and that was the Malta Labour Party. The MLP leader said he expected to be back in about 10 days, or so, and thanked deputies Charles Mangion and Michael Falzon, secretary general Jason Micallef and Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi for their friendship, and for keeping the ship on course in his absence.