"He'll need rehab": John Farnham is on the road to recovery following cancer diagnosis.

On early Tuesday morning, it was revealed legendary singer John Farnham had been diagnosed with cancer. 

Later that morning, the 73-year-old underwent a 12-hour-long surgery to have a tumour removed from his mouth at a Melbourne hospital. 

On Thursday, Sydney 2GB host Ben Fordham revealed he was on the road to recovery.

“Doctors may have to insert a tube into his windpipe as part of his recovery, he’ll need a feeding tube and he’ll need rehab to help him chew and swallow again, he’ll spend weeks in hospital recovering,” Fordham said on-air.

His family has since said in a statement that the You’re The Voice singer was in a stable condition while recovering in ICU. 

“It’s been a tough couple of weeks,” Farnham’s son Rob said in a Facebook post on Thursday.

“We are very proud of Dad, he is strong and will smash this. Dad and the family are feeling the love from everyone. The support from friends, family, Australia and OS [overseas] has been massive.

“Huge shout out to the hospital staff for being so amazing, we couldn’t do this without your honesty and support.”

Before undergoing surgery, Farnham shared his gratitude for the Victorian Health System. 

Music legend John Farnham has revealed he’s been diagnosed with cancer and has this morning been admitted to hospital for surgery and treatment. pic.twitter.com/NChs45cGYv

— Monique Hore (@moniquehore) August 22, 2022

“Cancer diagnosis is something that so many people face every single day, and countless others have walked this path before me,” he said in the statement.

“The one thing I know for sure is that we have the very best specialist healthcare professionals in Victoria, and we can all be grateful for that. I know I am.”

Morning everyone, 

Here are the top five news stories you need to know today, Thursday, August 25.

1. Couple found dead in Adelaide retirement village unit after suspected murder-suicide.

This post deals with suicide and may be triggering for some readers. 

An elderly couple have been found dead inside a unit at an Adelaide retirement village, with police treating their deaths as a murder-suicide.

Police were called to the Glynde retirement village around 8am Wednesday after a staff member discovered the bodies during a routine check.

According to 7News, the couple have been identified by neighbours as 92-year-olds Dennis and Barbara Willshire. 

“They were a beautiful couple – it was a love story, really.”
The 92-year-old couple involved in a suspected murder suicide at a Glynde retirement village have been identified as Dennis and Barbara Willshire. Read more: https://t.co/IHQ2T8MOq0 #TheAdvertiser pic.twitter.com/RnKgXxRFI0

— The Advertiser (@theTiser) August 24, 2022

Superintendent Matt Nairn said it was believed the man had killed his wife and then taken his own life.

Nairn said the couple was not previously known to police and ruled out any history of domestic violence.

"As you can imagine, this is very tragic for a family," he said.

Detectives will prepare a report for the state coroner.

If you think you may be experiencing depression or another mental health problem, please contact your general practitioner. If you're based in Australia, 24-hour support is available through Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyondblue on 1300 22 4636.

2. WA health staff 'dismissive' as Aishwarya Aswath died, inquest hears.

The former head of Perth Children's Hospital admits staff were exhausted, lacking morale and worried about patient safety around the time of Aishwarya Aswath's death, an inquest has heard. 

Seven-year-old Aishwarya died of sepsis in April last year, hours after presenting to the hospital's emergency department with a fever and unusually cold hands. She was left in a waiting room for more than 90 minutes, despite her parents pleading with staff to escalate her care as her condition deteriorated.

On the first day of the inquest into Aishwarya's death, her father Aswath Chavittupara and mother Prasitha Sasidharan said staff were rude and dismissive and showed little urgency to address their concerns.

A registered nurse who arrived to give ibuprofen to Aishwarya was described by her father as "the rudest nurse that I've ever come across".

Horror details have been revealed at an inquest into a seven-year-old's death at Perth Children's hospital. @ezrdh #9News pic.twitter.com/HL3ImrxKmV

— 9News Australia (@9NewsAUS) August 24, 2022

The inquest later heard evidence from the hospital's then-boss, former Child and Adolescent Health Service chief executive Aresh Anwar, who said the health system had been struggling with a surge in demand and staff shortages in the months prior to Aishwarya's death, with nurses asked to work double shifts.

In a letter sent to their union last March, nurses claimed their concerns about patient safety had been ignored by hospital executives. Dr Anwar denied this but acknowledged his communication with staff could have been better.

Image: 9News.

The inquest continues.

3. Almost a quarter of Aussie women have experienced emotional abuse, data shows.

More than 3.5 million Australians, including almost a quarter of adult women, have experienced emotional abuse, data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows. 

New analysis of the ABS's personal safety survey, which was conducted in 2016, estimated that 23 per cent of women (2.2 million) and 16 per cent of men (1.4 million) had been emotionally abused by a current or former partner since they turned 15. 

New figures reveal more than 3.5 million Australians, including almost a quarter of adult women, have experienced emotional abuse. #9Newshttps://t.co/DwVCIMyVwL

— 9News Australia (@9NewsAUS) August 24, 2022

ABS director of the National Centre for Crime and Justice Statistics, Will Milne, said single parents, those with intellectual or physical disability and those experiencing financial stress were more likely to experience emotional abuse from a partner.

"Women and men who experienced childhood abuse or witnessed parental violence as a child were about twice as likely to experience partner emotional abuse in their adulthood," said Milne.

"The rate was highest for women who were both physically and sexually abused as a child."

If this has raised any issues for you, or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, please call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) – the national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service.

4. Ukraine will ‘never give up’ six months on from Russia’s invasion.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says Ukraine was "reborn" when Russia invaded six months ago, as the country marked 31 years of independence from the Soviet Union.

Yesterday's anniversary, which saw celebrations cancelled, fell exactly six months after Russia sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine.

In an emotional speech to his compatriots, Zelenskiy said the attack had revived the nation's spirit.

"A new nation appeared in the world on February 24 at 4 in the morning. It was not born, but reborn. A nation that did not cry, scream or take fright. One that did not flee. Did not give up. And did not forget," he said.

Six months after Moscow’s invasion, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ukraine would drive out Russian forces completely, recapturing occupied areas of eastern Ukraine and Russian-annexed Crimea https://t.co/hjjwbdLfOw pic.twitter.com/rWmst2laOu

— Reuters (@Reuters) August 24, 2022

The 44-year-old leader vowed to recapture occupied areas of eastern Ukraine as well as the Crimean peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014.

"We will not sit down at the negotiating table out of fear, with a gun pointed at our heads. For us, the most terrible iron is not missiles, aircraft and tanks, but shackles. Not trenches, but fetters," he said.

US President Joe Biden said his country was providing Kyiv nearly $US3 billion ($A4.3 billion) for weapons and equipment in Washington's "biggest tranche of security assistance to date".

5. Ricciardo to leave McLaren at end of 2022.

Daniel Ricciardo will leave McLaren after the Formula One season following two years of struggle for the Australian driver. 

McLaren said yesterday that they had "mutually agreed" the split with the 33-year-old Ricciardo one year before his contract was due to expire, but conceded they had been behind the move.

McLaren say they'll confirm their driver line-up for the 2023 season "in due course" but it has been an open secret in the sport that fellow Aussie Oscar Piastri, the Formula 2 champion and Alpine reserve, will step in for the eight-time race winner Ricciardo.

BREAKING: Daniel Ricciardo will leave McLaren at the end of the 2022 season#F1 pic.twitter.com/4T48cDiFN8

— Formula 1 (@F1) August 24, 2022

Ricciardo but made it clear he was determined to continue in F1.

"Regardless of what this next chapter brings, I have no regrets and am proud of the effort and work I gave McLaren, especially the win in Monza, last season," he said. 

"I will be giving my all on and off track as we enjoy the remainder of the season together... I've never been more motivated to compete and be a part of a sport that I love so much and look forward to what comes next."

That's all the top stories you need to know this morning. We'll be back with your afternoon headlines a little later. 

- With AAP.

Have you popped down the chemist lately and found the medicine you need hasn't been restocked?

That's the reality for thousands of Australians right now, as we endure medicine shortages across hundreds of different drugs, some that will put people's lives at risk if they can't be found. 

In this episode of The Quicky, we take a look at medicine supply issues, why they're still happening, how we can fix it and how you can get the drugs you need to keep your health under control.

READ: 

What women were talking about on Wednesday

What women were talking about on Tuesday

What women were talking about on Monday

Feature Image: South Australia Police/9News/Getty.