Jeana Keough’s daughter, Kara Bosworth, shared in July 2026 that the “Real Housewives of Orange County” alum had been diagnosed with tongue cancer. Now, several months later, she’s giving an update, revealing that her mother’s condition has worsened and that she remains dependent on a feeding tube.
Jeana Keough’s Daughter Says The RHOC Alum Is ‘Struggling’
Bosworth spoke to Page Six on October 21 and told the outlet she recently left Southern California after visiting her mother for a week. Unfortunately, the 71-year-old isn’t doing well health-wise.
“Mom’s struggling. She’s still not getting nutrition orally except maybe a few bites and then she gets frustrated with the effort and the lack of taste,” Bosworth announced. After that, she said that Keough’s “primary source of nutrition” remains a feeding tube.
After that, the concerned daughter shared that her mother is “feeling a lot of regret due to the impacts of her treatment,” saying that she thinks the RHOC alum wishes she had opted for a less intense form of treatment or perhaps none at all. Notably, she’s done a tongue dissection, a neck dissection, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiation.
“I think she just wishes she didn’t do any treatment. [It’s been] very hard. She still is sleeping a lot and having a lot of coughing fits that cause her to vomit,” she said.
“She’s doing twice-weekly speech and swallow therapy, but we still have a long way to go.”
Fans Learned of Jeana Keough’s Cancer In July
Bosworth announced to the world in mid-July 2026 that Keough had been diagnosed with tongue cancer and launched a GoFundMe. “A few months ago, while visiting Shane and me in Florida, my mom mentioned a painful spot on her tongue,” Bosworth wrote.
“She assumed a tooth had been rubbing against it and had even gone to the dentist multiple times to have the tooth filed down. I asked her how long the sore had been there. She paused, thought about it, and realized it had been nearly a year.”
Bosworth revealed that her mother then underwent a biopsy, which located squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue. “After surgery to remove the cancer, we were hopeful that the hardest part was behind her. But when doctors recommended a second surgery to remove lymph nodes, they discovered the cancer had spread,” she continued.
“What we thought would be a one-time surgery became a full cancer battle. Jeana is now in her fifth week of chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy. The treatments are relentless.”
In discussing how her mother handled the change in her health, Bosworth explained, “She is exhausted, struggling to stay awake, and becoming malnourished because the pain in her tongue and throat makes swallowing even the smallest bites or sips incredibly difficult.”
“Every day is a battle just to get enough nutrition and hydration to continue treatment,” she added. As mentioned, Keogh underwent multiple forms of treatment, including chemotherapy, radiation, and having a feeding tube placed. Amid experiencing multiple side effects, Keogh reunited with former “The Real Housewives of Orange County” co-stars Vicki Gunvalson and Quinn Fry in September.
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Jeana Keough’s Daughter Shares Unfortunate Update About the RHOC Alum Amid Her Cancer Battle