John Mellencamp is opening up about his daughter Teddi Mellencamp’s ongoing fight with stage 4 cancer and his hope that she will return home to Indiana.
During a Friday, January 16, appearance on the Today show, the 74-year-old “Jack and Diane” singer shared an update on Teddi’s health with hosts Craig Melvin, Al Roker, and Dylan Dreyer.
“You can’t say you’re cancer-free with the type of cancer she’s got for three years,” Mellencamp explained. “She has lesions in her brain, it went from her back, just a little, teeny spot on her. Over the last couple years it grew, and it got inside her brain and her lungs.”
He added that Teddi, 44, experiences good days when she feels well, but the side effects of immunotherapy take a toll. “She feels like hell for about four days,” he said, “before she starts feeling normal again.”
Mellencamp Hopes for Family Support
Mellencamp revealed he has asked Teddi to move back to Indiana with her children so he could be closer during her treatment.
“I’ve tried to talk her into moving back home,” he said. “I said, ‘Move back to Indiana, bring the kids and just come back and live in Indiana,’ but she won’t do it.”
The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer has previously expressed how much he values having his family close. “I’d have all my kids live at home if I could,” he told PEOPLE in a January interview.
Teddi Mellencamp’s Cancer Journey
Teddi, a former star of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, was first diagnosed with melanoma in 2022 after a mole on her back was biopsied. She has since had 17 melanomas removed.
Her cancer escalated over the following years:
- February 2025: Doctors discovered multiple tumors in her brain.
- March 2025: Additional tumors were found on her brain and lungs.
- April 2025: Teddi confirmed her cancer had reached stage 4.
Despite setbacks, Teddi has shown remarkable resilience. In October 2025, she shared that there was “no detectable cancer” after an immunotherapy session and scans, though she emphasized that she was not in remission.
During that same interview, she acknowledged the ongoing challenges:
“I’m still going to be having days when I’m feeling sick because I’m still in immunotherapy, so I’m still fighting because you have to be.”
A Tough Road Ahead
Teddi has described the uncertainty of treatment candidly. On Nightline, she recalled that her doctor gave her a “50/50” chance of immunotherapy working.
“50/50? I wouldn’t buy a car that’s only gonna drive 50% of the time. I don’t want this,” she said.
John Mellencamp also addressed his daughter’s suffering on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast earlier this week, saying simply:
“She’s got cancer in the brain, and she’s suffering right now. It’s not f—ing fun.”
John Mellencamp Announces Greatest Hits Tour
Amid these family challenges, Mellencamp is preparing for a return to the stage. On January 14, he announced the Dancing Words Tour — The Greatest Hits, a career-spanning tour celebrating his most iconic songs.
In a promotional clip featuring Sean Penn and a singalong of “Jack and Diane,” Mellencamp reflected on why he decided to tour again at age 74:
“They’ve been asking me to do this for years… But this time, I thought I might be getting to the age where I might want to try to share these songs with people again.”
The tour promises to be a celebration of both music and family, as Mellencamp continues to balance life on the road with supporting Teddi through her health battle.
Key Takeaways
- John Mellencamp wants his daughter Teddi to move back to Indiana amid her stage 4 cancer journey.
- Teddi was diagnosed with melanoma in 2022 and has undergone 17 removals of cancerous lesions.
- Despite setbacks, she continues treatment with immunotherapy and recently had scans showing no detectable cancer.
- Mellencamp will embark on his Dancing Words Tour — The Greatest Hits in 2026, celebrating decades of music with fans.
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