Former The Real Housewives of Orange County star Jeana Keough has shared the heartbreaking details of the first symptom that led to her tongue cancer diagnosis, hoping her experience will encourage others to seek answers when something doesn’t feel right.

Keough, 70, said she first noticed a painful sore on her tongue last year and initially believed it was a minor issue. After visiting her longtime dentist several times, she was told that one of her teeth was rubbing against her tongue and causing the irritation. The tooth was repeatedly filed down, but the sore never healed, and no biopsy was recommended at the time.

Everything changed during a visit with her daughter, Kara Bosworth, in Florida. After hearing her mother complain that spicy food hurt her tongue, Kara questioned why a tooth that had been there for decades would suddenly become a problem. She urged Jeana to schedule a biopsy as soon as she returned home.

The specialist immediately suspected cancer. A biopsy confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue, and doctors quickly performed a tongue dissection to remove the tumor. Further scans revealed a suspicious area near her neck, leading to a second surgery in which 30 to 40 lymph nodes were removed to reduce the risk of the cancer spreading.

Keough is now undergoing an aggressive treatment plan that includes radiation, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. She says the treatments have left her unable to speak, swallow normally, or eat without severe pain. After being hospitalized for dehydration and malnutrition, doctors inserted a feeding tube to help maintain her nutrition during recovery.

Despite the difficult road ahead, Keough remains hopeful and says she wants others to learn from her experience. Her message is simple: if a persistent mouth sore or other symptom doesn’t improve, don’t ignore it, seek a second opinion, and insist on further evaluation if necessary.