Teddi Mellencamp’s dad was at the hospital every day during his daughter’s “ugly” cancer battle.
During an interview with Fox News Digital at the Women’s Cancer Research Fund, “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” alum opened up about the Mellencamp bond and how her diagnosis forced a new level of vulnerability and closeness between father and daughter.
“He was there with me at the hospital every day. So, I mean, he’s seen the good, the bad and the ugly. Um, but I talk to him—I mean, he calls every day to check in,” Teddi began. “This is a hard journey, and especially when you’re in treatment. I thought the surgery was going to be the hardest part, but it’s the treatment that’s really been weighing on me.”
Teddi shared that her diagnosis brought her closer to her famous father, John.
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“Oh, of course. I’ve found ways to be vulnerable with him that I never—I never thought I needed and I mean, having cancer changes you,” she said. “And I never really believed that and then now, it’s just… what’s important to me has completely shifted.”
Marking the one-year anniversary of being transported to the ER for “migraines,” the reality star took to Instagram in February to share an image of herself with electrodes positioned across her head prior to a brain scan.
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“A year ago today I went into the ER thinking I had migraines and within 24 hours was having surgery on the plum-sized stage 4 tumors on my brain,” Mellencamp wrote.
WATCH: John Mellencamp visited daughter Teddi every day during stage 4 cancer battle
“I have a lot of anxiety surrounding today but also a lot of gratitude. Gratitude for the doctors and nurses who took care of me, gratitude for my family and friends for supporting me, and gratitude for all the love that you have poured into me,” her caption continued. “Trust your instincts. Get checked.”
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Mellencamp emphasized the importance of early detection during her interview with Fox News Digital.
“I think you just, you know, I… for over a year I thought I had migraines, and it was brain cancer. So, I think, you know, you just have to trust your instincts and go to the doctor. You know, we’re not professionals, so if you feel something that doesn’t feel right, take action,” she said.
WATCH: Teddi Mellencamp says cancer journey brought her closer to John Mellencamp
Teddi first shared she was diagnosed with stage 2 melanoma in March 2022, and later shared in April 2025 that her skin cancer had grown to stage 4 and that it had spread to her brain and lungs. She had surgery to remove the tumors on her brain, saying at the time that while getting them removed, doctors ended up finding more.
Later that month, a scan showed her tumors were decreasing in size. One of the many debilitating effects she suffered from on her cancer journey was her inability to speak clearly.
