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4 Mar 2026 13:59
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  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Teddi Mellencamp's youngest daughter has given her strength amid the star's cancer battle

    The 44-year-old TV personality - who was diagnosed with stage two melanoma in 2022, and revealed in April 2025 that the serious type of skin cancer was at stage four - has learned to be resilient in her fight following Dove's life-saving surgery after the youngster was diagnosed with lambdoid craniosynostosis in 2020.


    Teddi - who also has daughter Slate, 12, and son Cruz, 11, with her estranged 48-year-old husband, TV star Edwin Arroyave - took to Instagram on Wednesday (25.02.26) and paid a sweet sixth birthday tribute to her "miracle baby Dove".

    She captioned a shot of her cradling Dove post-surgery, and the pair enjoying time together at Dove's birthday party with: "Happy birthday to my miracle baby.

    "The strength and resilience you have shown since you came into this world is something I have learned to use in my own fight.

    And now at six, you're teaching us all how to enjoy life to the fullest while being your unabashed self."

    Teddi - who has had 17 melanoma spots, as well as four brain tumours, removed, and has successfully had immunotherapy, resulting in the growths to "significantly" shrink - then apologised to Dove for missing her fifth birthday due to being hospitalised.

    The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum continued: "I am still so sorry I was in the hospital and missed your 5th party; but dang you don't know how grateful I am to be at this one."

    And Teddi - who, in October 2025, revealed that tests showed her cancer was "undetectable" - ended her birthday tribute for Dove with: "Love you so much, Dovey Doo. Hope this year is your best yet."

    The post came over a month after Teddi's 74-year-old dad, singer John Mellencamp, revealed his daughter is "really sick" - months after she revealed her cancer had become "undetectable".

    Teddi - who revealed in April 2025 that the cancer was at stage four after the disease metastasized to her lungs and brain, resulting in her having a 50-50 chance of survival - later clarified the Jack and Diane performer's comments about her health by saying she is "still in immunotherapy".

    Speaking on the Two T's in a Pod podcast, Teddi explained: "You know, I think when he said the words 'suffering,' he meant like, how I'm mentally doing versus how I'm physically doing."

    The star rubbished the suggestion that her cancer had returned.

    Teddi said: "There's still no trace of cancer.

    "But I'm still considered stage four, and I'm still in immunotherapy, so essentially nothing's changed other than I still - I don't feel great ... I would hope that I would be feeling better by now, but I really don't."

    © 2026 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

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