‘RHOC’ Alum Jeana Keough Diagnosed With Tongue Cancer as Daughter Kara Launches GoFundMe

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The Real Housewives of Orange County alum Jeana Keough has been diagnosed with tongue cancer, her daughter Kara Keough Bosworth has revealed.

As fans of RHOC likely recall, Jeana, 70, was an original cast member of the show who appeared for the first five seasons.

Taking to Instagram, Kara, 37, shared, “She is kind to everyone – even to people who have nothing to offer her in return. She is generous to a fault. She gives people the benefit of the doubt, even when they’ve proven, over and over again, that they don’t deserve her grace.”

“At Jeana’s house, ‘the more, the merrier; isn’t just a saying – it’s how she lives,” Kara continued. “Everyone is welcome. She never guards her friendships or makes people feel like outsiders. She has a gift for making people feel seen, included, and loved.”

Jeana’s daughter went on to note her mom “makes people laugh, even at her own expense.”

”Even now, in the middle of one of the most painful and vulnerable seasons of her life, she’s still finding ways to lift everyone else up,” Kara added. “She’s currently trying to bully me into getting my 20-year-old implants replaced so I can have a “sexy and fun 2026” because it would ‘bring lots of joy’  to her life. Talk about ‘uplifting.’”

Kara added “that’s Jeana” and insisted everyone who knows her mom knows she’s “almost impossibly optimistic in the face of terrifying things – wildfires, cancer, uncertainty. Yet somehow she’s always been afraid of the simplest thing: being vulnerable enough to ask for help.”

She noted she’s “asking” that if you’ve “ever been touched” by her mother’s “kindness, generosity, or friendship” or if you want to “help someone who has spent her life helping others” to please “consider reading her story.”

When clicking on the link in Kara’s bio, it linked to a GoFundMe that stated the following: 

“A few months ago, while visiting Shane and me in Florida, my mom mentioned a painful spot on her tongue. 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. A biopsy confirmed our worst fear: 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. 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. 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.

On top of the physical toll, she has been unable to work. Because her job is commission-based, the loss of income has created an enormous financial burden at the very time she needs to focus all of her energy on healing. Living across the country in Florida with young children has made Shane and me feel painfully helpless throughout much of this journey. With no direct flights between us, we’ve often wished we could simply be there to help with the everyday things that become overwhelming during cancer treatment. Now that I’m here in Orange County and seeing firsthand what she’s facing, I realize even more how much support she needs—not just while I’m here, but after I return home. My brothers and I want to help make sure Mom feels cared for, loved, and supported throughout this fight.

Any funds raised will go directly toward expenses, everyday living costs, nutrition, and the additional support she needs while undergoing treatment. Most of all, your generosity will remind her that she is not fighting this battle alone. Whether you’re able to donate, share this page, or simply keep Jeana in your prayers, thank you. Your kindness, encouragement, and support mean more to our family than we can express.”

To date, $22,000 of the $40,000 goal have been raised. 

Kara also took to her Instagram Stories to share one more post.

“When I was little, I would sneak into Mom’s bed when I was scared. If she was still awake reading, I’d read with her until the fear subsided and we’d both doze off. Here I am, a 37 year old mom of four, back in bed with my mom, reading until my fear gets quieter. Screw you, cancer,” she wrote on July 19.