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Teddi Mellencamp is opening up about what lies ahead amid her cancer battle. At the front of the former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills cast member’s mind has been learning her chances of beating her melanoma, which she recently shared has progressed to staged four after doctors found four more tumors. And Teddi didn’t hold back when detailing the difficult conversations with her doctors.
"It’s one of my favorite things to ask is ‘How long I got? What are my chances?’” she said on ABC News' Nightline April 10. “And they often say '50/50.'" Of those odds, Teddi, 43, continued, "50/50? I wouldn’t buy a car that’s only gonna drive 50 percent of the time.
I don’t want this.” Teddi, who was originally diagnosed with stage two melanoma in 2022 and said she has undergone about 16 melanoma surgeries since then, explained that her doctors told her the reasoning for their seemingly low 50/50 response is because her current treatment, immunotherapy , has only been around 10 years and it's based on early data. “[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,’” she explained.
“So that’s when I then try to find the positive.” And this isn't the first time Teddi, whose father is singer-songwriter John Mellencamp , shared that she is still aiming to "try to find the positive." has been extremely honest about her odds of survival .
“I’m fighting for my life,” she told Us Weekly in an interview published April 2. “But also for my family’s life and all the people I love.” She also shared she is no longer telling her children— Slate , 12, Cruz , 10 and Dove , 5, with estranged husband Edwin Arroyave —that "moms always come back.
" "I have not said that line to them since I’ve been back [from the hospital]," she explained. "They all know that I’m fighting the hardest I possibly can, but I haven’t said [it] because I don’t want to lie to them. And I don’t know.
" She also shared that while she "can’t imagine" her life without her kids, she also "can't imagine any of them living without me," detailing the plans with her kids that she hopes can come to fruition after her cancer battle. "I want to try new things, travel more with the kids," she shared. "Keep building a life and doing the best that we can, and have fun together.
That’s my goal." For more stars that have gotten candid about their cancer journeys, read on. Colin Egglesfield The All My Children alum announced in January 2025 that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, his third cancer diagnosis throughout his life.
Despite the devastating news, he announced (for the third time) in February 2025 he was cancer-free following successful surgery and treatments. “Remember, you’re not defined by any of your challenges," he wrote in his February 2025 Instagram update. "You’re grander than it all.
I’m not my fear, my anxiousness or my scars but I embrace it all because the only way to transform it is to own it.” Gerry Turner The former Golden Bachelor star shared in Dec. 2024 that he had been diagnosed with Waldenström's macroglobulinemia, a bone cancer.
" Unfortunately, there's no cure for it,” Gerry noted to People at the time. “S o that weighs heavily in every decision I make. It was like 10 tons of concrete were just dropped on me.
And I was a bit in denial for a while, I didn't want to admit to it.” The actor, known for roles in The Boys and Supernatural , shared on Feb. 3, 2023, that he had battled prostate cancer for years and was cancer free.
"I had to have a lil bit o'cancer removed from my body and lymph nodes biopsied," the Vanderpump Rules star revealed to fans at the close of 2018. "(In the clear now!)" The Desperate Housewives star revealed to fans in September 2018 that she survived anal cancer. "After posting a picture of myself here and uttering the words #cancer and #hairloss, I feel liberated, deliriously free and completely me," she shared on Instagram .
The two-time Oscar winner underwent successful treatment for cancer, and his rep confirmed to E! News that doctors deemed Hoffman " surgically cured ." The X-Men star was treated for his third basal cell carcinoma back in 2014, and after his third treatment, Jackman's rep told E! News that he's "all good" now. In April 2023, Hugh had two biopsies for additional basal cell carcinoma.
At the time, he told fans, "If I can just take this opportunity to remind you summer is coming for those of us in the northern hemisphere, please wear sunscreen." Camille Grammer The former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star celebrated one year of being cancer-free in January. The mother of two was diagnosed with endometrial cancer back in 2013 and underwent a radical hysterectomy.
Then in 2017, Camille had surgery to remove Squamous Cell Carcinoma, a type of skin cancer. The Avengers: Age of Ultron actress battled ovarian cancer at the age of 25 and overcome odds when she welcomed two children with husband Taran Killam . TV host reveals he underwent surgery for prostate cancer in July 2013 and has since been given a clean bill of health.
The Dancing with the Stars cohost underwent successful surgery for thyroid cancer . The mother of four tweet ed , "Thx for all the twitter love. I'm [home] recovering & resting.
" "MY DR CALLED ME ON A SAT. MORNING TO TELL ME I AM CANCER FREE!!!!! #wootothemotherf--kinhoo," the actress tweeted after receiving the good news . The Up All Night star was declared "100-percent clear" of breast cancer after treatment and a double mastectomy.
The Dexter star used a hiatus from his hit series to slay Hodgkin's lymphoma . The Australian actress revealed in October 2011 that she had a cancerous mole removed from her calf after her hubby encouraged her to get the suspicious-looking mark checked out. Ewan McGregor The Scot is trainspotting just fine these days after having a cancerous mole removed from beneath his right eye.
The singer beat breast cancer in 2004 with a "minimally invasive" lumpectomy and radiation therapy. The Oscar winner declared in early 2011 that his tumor was gone and he had throat cancer "beat." The Emmy winner whacked breast cancer in 2004.
Surely the CNN veteran wears his SPF when he's braving the elements now after having a cancerous growth removed from under his left eye in 2008. The Australian pop star underwent successful surgery for breast cancer in 2005. The 7th Heaven star was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease when he was only 28.
He's 50 now and looking good! The ER fave had to abandon her role in Parenthood to fight breast cancer in 2009—but her treatment was a success and she was back on the red carpet in no time. The America's Got Talent judge was diagnosed with colon cancer while shooting The Osbournes in 2002 and used the opportunity to stress the importance of regular screenings while attacking the #@%! with chemotherapy. She was declared cancer-free the following year.
The Oscar winner took prostate cancer down, down to Chinatown, in 2003, and has been in about 400 movies since then. The Good Morning America cohost proudly flaunted her smooth scalp while undergoing chemotherapy to treat breast cancer in 2007. The champion cyclist battled back from stage-four testicular cancer before winning seven straight Tour de France titles.
The Grammy and Oscar winner became an inspiring activist after a lumpectomy and chemotherapy cleared her of breast cancer in 2005. The former Saturday Night Live standout mined her breast cancer battle for comedic material that turned into God Said Ha! , her successful one-woman show that eventually went to Broadway. The Sex and the City star was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006, and after surgery and radiation treatments, she was given the clear .
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