Kyle Richards is opening up about her longtime friendship with Teddi Mellencamp and where Teddi stands now in her battle with stage 4 cancer.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star recently shared an update on Teddi’s health following the announcement that there is currently “no detectable cancer” after years of treatment. Teddi revealed the news earlier this fall on her podcast with Tamra Judge, Two Ts in a Pod, calling it a major milestone in her journey.
Kyle reflected on hearing the news, calling it life-changing. She said learning Teddi was cancer-free was “the best call you could ever hear in your life.”
Speaking in a recent interview with USA Today, Kyle said the update was “amazing,” while also acknowledging that the road ahead is far from easy. Teddi is still facing two more years of immunotherapy treatment as part of her recovery.
“I mean, she has hard days, you know, when she feels very down, where she doesn’t have the energy, and then other days, she pulls it together, and she’s great, she’s doing her podcast, still killing it with that, and still working, but it’s hard,” Kyle shared. “It’s hard, even though she’s cancer-free now, now she’s trying to get her life back.”
Kyle also revealed that she played a role in encouraging Teddi to attend BravoCon 2025 in November — a moment she said made her especially proud of her friend.
“She was really nervous to go to BravoCon because she said, ‘You know what, I don’t have the energy,’ and I said, ‘Everyone gets the energy once you’re in Vegas; it’s contagious,’” Kyle recalled.
Teddi has been open about her health journey ever since Kyle urged her in 2022 to have a suspicious mole on her back checked out, which ultimately led to her initial melanoma diagnosis. Over time, the cancer metastasized to her lungs and brain, requiring multiple surgeries to remove tumors.
Although Teddi reported no detectable cancer in October, she has continued to speak candidly about the physical and emotional toll of immunotherapy.
“Some days are definitely better than others,” Teddi shared on her Instagram Stories in early November. “And you don’t see all the times I’m laying in bed unable to do much. Don’t be afraid to let people know how you’re feeling, and don’t feel guilty if you need to rest.”
Last month, Kyle also reflected on how Teddi’s health battle has strengthened their bond during an interview with The Daily Dish, especially as both women navigated major personal changes, including Kyle’s separation from Mauricio Umansky and Teddi’s split from Edwin Arroyave.
“You know, and just going through what she’s gone through, [it] just brought us even closer,” Kyle said. “I mean, what I was going through first, and then what she was going through with her separation, and then having this curveball come at her, like, this was just really mind-blowing, you know, to think that someone that you’re so close to and love so much is going through something so scary.”
Kyle added, “It really did just bring us even closer, and I just love and appreciate her so much.”