Reality star Teddi Mellencamp, 43, revealed doctors have given her a 50 per cent chance of survival after she was diagnosed with stage IV melanoma. The cancer has metastasised to her brain and lungs, prompting Teddi to press her medical team about her survival prospects.
During an appearance on ‘Nightline’, Teddi shared: “It’s one of my favourite things to ask is ‘How long I got? What are my chances?’ And they often say 50/50. 50/50? I wouldn’t buy a car that’s only gonna drive 50 percent of the time. I don’t want this.” Currently undergoing innovative immunotherapy treatment, Teddi is met with uncertainty regarding its success rate, as the treatment is relatively new and lacks extensive study data.
Despite this, she remains determined to stay optimistic about her situation, recalling a conversation with her doctor: “[The doctor’s] like, ‘No it’s only because that’s how long immunotherapy has been around so that’s how long the study has worked’. So that’s when I then try to find the positive.”
Recently, Teddi expressed her unwavering resolve to “beat” cancer, in response to a comment from an Instagram follower suggesting that stage 4 cancer, especially with metastasis, is terminal.
However, the follower also sent their well wishes, expressing hope that Teddi defies the odds and becomes an outlier.
Teddi initially found the comment “heart-breaking” to read but remains focused on fighting her cancer diagnosis.
The TV personality, a mother of three to Slate, 12, Cruz, 10, and Dove, 5, with her estranged husband Edwin Arroyave, expressed her emotions: “These kind of comments make me really sad. I know people are trying to help but heart breaking for me to read. (sic)”.
Despite the statistics, Teddi remains optimistic about overcoming her cancer diagnosis.
She stated: “Of course I know the chances but I truly believe with my whole heart, I will beat this and watch my kids graduate.”
In a separate conversation with Bravo, Edwin shared how he approached the topic of Teddi’s health with their children, saying: “I was upfront with them [about] what was going on.”
He acknowledged their natural response, “They got scared, obviously. They were concerned, but I tried my best not to sugarcoat it too much. I let them know, ‘Hey, there, there are some risks that come with this.’ I called it the way it was.”
The Macmillan Support Line offers confidential support to people living with cancer and their loved ones. If you need to talk, call us on 0808 808 0000.
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