RHOC original Jeana Keough diagnosed with tongue cancer
‘Real Housewives of Orange County’ original cast member Jeana Keough, 70, has been diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue, her children revealed this week. She is now in her fifth week of chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy after doctors found the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes.
Key Takeaways
- Keough was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue after a painful spot led to a biopsy.
- A second surgery found the cancer had spread; she is in week five of chemo, radiation, and immunotherapy.
- Daughter Kara Bosworth launched a $50,000 GoFundMe on July 19 for medical and living costs.
- Fellow RHOC stars Tamra Judge and Vicki Gunvalson have publicly backed the fundraiser.
What cancer diagnosis did Jeana Keough receive?
According to USA Today, Keough’s daughter Kara Bosworth, 37, said her mother first noticed a painful spot on her tongue while visiting family in Florida. Keough assumed a tooth was rubbing against it and went to the dentist multiple times to have the tooth filed down.
Bosworth wrote that Keough recalled having the pain for nearly a year before a biopsy confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue. After surgery to remove the cancer, doctors recommended a second procedure to remove lymph nodes and discovered the disease had spread.
How is Keough coping with treatment right now?
Bosworth described the treatments as “relentless.” Keough feels exhausted, struggles to stay awake, and has trouble eating because of tongue and throat pain. “Every day is a battle just to get enough nutrition and hydration to continue treatment,” her daughter wrote on the GoFundMe page.
People reported that siblings Kara and Shane shared on Instagram that their mom is “in the middle of one of the most painful and vulnerable seasons of her life.” They called her nearly impossibly optimistic in the face of wildfires, cancer, and uncertainty, yet long afraid to ask for help.
Who is supporting the RHOC star through this fight?
Keough works as a realtor and has been unable to work during treatment, creating what Bosworth called an enormous financial burden. The GoFundMe set a $50,000 goal and had raised nearly $42,000 in less than 24 hours, USA Today reported. Donations are meant for expenses, everyday living costs, nutrition, and extra support.
Tamra Judge posted on Instagram in collaboration with Keough, captioning a photo with fellow castmates “We love you, Momma Jeana” and urging fans to donate. Vicki Gunvalson also donated, joining dozens of others, according to People. For more celebrity health updates, follow BlasterPost celebrity breaking news.
Keough starred in Seasons 1 through 5 of “The Real Housewives of Orange County” from 2006 to 2012, later appearing as a friend and guest, and served as narrator for Season 15. USA TODAY has reached out to Keough for comment.