“The Real Housewives of Orange County” star Vicki Gunvalson is setting the record straight after fans questioned why former castmate Jeana Keough launched a GoFundMe following her cancer diagnosis.
Speaking on SiriusXM’s “Jeff Lewis Live,” Gunvalson shared a heartbreaking update on Keough’s health while also addressing the financial questions surrounding the fundraiser. According to Gunvalson, the reality is far more complicated than many people realize.
Vicki Gunvalson Shares a Devastating Update on Jeana Keough’s Health
The conversation comes after Keough, 70, revealed she is battling tongue cancer and that a GoFundMe had been created to help cover mounting medical expenses.
Gunvalson explained that Keough’s diagnosis came only after months of being misdiagnosed.
“She went to the dentist. They said, ‘Oh, your tooth is shifting in the back. We’re just going to shave it down,'” Gunvalson recalled. “And then three months later went back again. ‘My tongue is still touching the root of my tooth.’ Um, shaved it down again.”
She said the same thing happened during another dental visit before Keough finally sought a second opinion.
“Three times she went to this dentist, whoever it may be, and he said, ‘Uh, I don’t really like the way it looks.’ Goes to another dentist, comes back, they did a biopsy. It’s tongue cancer.”
Gunvalson said Keough eventually underwent extensive surgery.
“So, by that time, she had to have half of her tongue removed from the back to the front,” she said.
Although doctors successfully removed the tumor, Gunvalson said they later discovered the cancer had spread to Keough’s lymph nodes and was classified as Stage 3.
She also shared that Keough has spent weeks in the hospital while undergoing chemotherapy, radiation and immunotherapy.
“Now she’s dealing with, um, sores in her mouth, in her throat, can’t eat anything, can’t drink, can’t take her pills,” Gunvalson said. “Yesterday, they put a feeding tube in her… she needs the nutrition… She hasn’t had any nutrition in three weeks.”
Why Jeana Keough Started a GoFundMe
Gunvalson also responded to criticism from fans who questioned why someone who starred on RHOC would need financial assistance.
According to Gunvalson, Keough’s assets don’t tell the full story.
“Jeana owns two houses in Florida. When she sold the house next to me, she bought two houses, rental property. It doesn’t have a lot of equity. The real estate in Florida has gone down,” she explained.
Gunvalson added that Keough’s income has been dramatically affected by her illness.
“She’s getting a small pension from Matt and she’s getting her social security. It’s not enough to support her rent in Coto De Caza. She rents a house there and her life.”
She continued, “So, they’ve asked for a little bit of help. I obviously helped and people are questioning the same thing and they have a right to question it. But, I think after, and she’s commission sales just like I am. She hasn’t been able to be able to work and the income stopped.”
Gunvalson emphasized that the fundraiser is intended to help bridge the gap while Keough focuses on treatment rather than working.
The RHOC star also noted that Keough’s condition has made it impossible for her to earn the commission-based income she previously relied on, leaving friends and supporters to step in during what Gunvalson described as one of the most difficult periods of her longtime friend’s life.
