Mama June Shannon Gives Update on Anna “Chickadee” Cardwell’s Cancer Battle
Mama June Shannon is praising her daughter's strength during a difficult time.
The Here Comes Honey Boo Boo star shared an update after her oldest daughter Anna "Chickadee" Cardwell was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year. Back in March, family sources told TMZ that Anna has been battling stage 4 adrenal carcinoma, which affects the adrenal gland.
"She's actually doing pretty good," June told Entertainment Tonight July 12. "She's handling it pretty good."
Noting that Anna's illness is terminal, June said the 28-year-old has completed four rounds of chemotherapy and is now considering her options with immune therapy or clinical trials.
"She just wants to see how it's gonna go," June told the outlet. "We don't know what to expect because the cancer is very aggressive and it grew from nothing to something huge on the left side of her body really fast."
The 43-year-old continued, "For me, it's an emotional rollercoaster sometimes. Mentally it's always on my mind."
As for how the diagnosis has affected Anna's kids—Kaitlyn, 10, and Kylee, 7—Mama June said the eldest "doesn't go anywhere" without her mom anymore.
"She's not gonna go into remission," she shared. "We've all accepted that, so I just tell people one day at a time 'cause you never know."
But on the day-to-day, sister Lauryn "Pumpkin" Efird told ET that Anna "genuinely is OK" and is able to continue her daily routine, explaining, "She can still go to the grocery store, she can drive herself, she's still able to take the kids to and from places."
And while Anna has lost hair on her head, eyebrows and arms due to chemotherapy, she has been "able to bounce back pretty quick," according to Lauryn.
As youngest sister Alana "Honey Boo Boo" Thompson shared, "It does wear her body down sometimes, but other than that, she's pretty good."
For now, the family is staying optimistic on Anna's future. "It is crazy to think that she will not be here probably in five years," Alana said, "but I'm hoping that she can pull through and fight 10, 20 years."