Mama June’s eldest daughter, Anna “Chickadee” Cardwell, has been diagnosed with cancer, according to a new report.
The 28-year-old television personality was diagnosed with stage 4 adrenal carcinoma of the liver, kidney and lungs in January, TMZ reported Thursday. She underwent her first round of chemotherapy last month and has lost some hair.
Doctors are waiting to see how she responds to treatment in the coming weeks, but her family is is “very hopeful” she’ll recover.
Cardwell initially complained of severe stomach pain prior to her diagnosis, sources told TMZ. She was hospitalized as a result, and a series of subsequent tests revealed cancer in several areas.
According to the Mayo Clinic, adrenal carcinoma is a rare cancer that begins in one or both of the small, triangular glands on top of the kidneys, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Cardwell shot to fame on the TLC series “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo,” a reality show that centered around her sister, Alana Thompson, and her life in Georgia. Cardwell’s other sisters — Lauryn “Pumpkin” Shannon and Jessica “Chubbs” Shannon — and their mother, whose real name is June Shannon, also appeared during the show’s four-season run.
She shares two daughters — Kaitlyn, 10, and Kylee, 7 — with her ex-husband Michael Cardwell. She’s currently dating a man named Eldridge, who has been very supportive since her diagnosis.