Heart surgery for Kimmel's son delayed because of family cold

 Kimmel's health care crusade

Comic rips GOP senator, defends ObamaCare

Follow-up heart surgery for Jimmy Kimmel's infant son was postponed because of family colds.

In a statement Monday, Kimmel's publicist said that Billy Kimmel's scheduled operation was delayed as a precaution.

His publicist said Kimmel had planned to take the week off from ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" for his son's surgery, but he instead is sharing sneezes with his wife and children.

Guest hosts filling in for Kimmel include Shaquille O'Neal, Dave Grohl, Channing Tatum and Jennifer Lawrence.

Billy was born last April with heart defects that required surgery immediately after his birth and another operation at about six months.

The experience prompted Kimmel to use his show as a platform to advocate for every family's access to equal medical care, including those unable to afford it.

The host, who delivered a memorable monologue in May when he revealed his newborn son’s heart condition, has spoken out against some Republican attempts to defeat ObamaCare, and even coined "the Jimmy Kimmel test," which was summed up by Kimmel as: No family should be denied medical care, emergency or otherwise, because they can’t afford it.