Former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Jeana Keough has been diagnosed with tongue cancer.

The 70-year-old reality TV personality - who appeared on the Bravo show from 2006 to 2010 - initially thought she had a problem with her teeth that had led to them "rubbing" on her tongue, but after undergoing tests, she was told she had cancer and she is now midway through a "relentless" course of treatment after being given the news the disease had spread.

Jeana's daughter, Kara Bosworth, wrote on a GoFundMe page set up for her mom: "A few months ago, while visiting Shane and me in Florida, my mom mentioned a painful spot on her tongue. She assumed a tooth had been rubbing against it and had even gone to the dentist multiple times to have the tooth filed down.

"I asked her how long the sore had been there. She paused, thought about it, and realized it had been nearly a year. A biopsy confirmed our worst fear: squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue.

"After surgery to remove the cancer, we were hopeful that the hardest part was behind her. But when doctors recommended a second surgery to remove lymph nodes, they discovered the cancer had spread. What we thought would be a one-time surgery became a full cancer battle.

"Jeana is now in her fifth week of chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy. The treatments are relentless. She is exhausted, struggling to stay awake, and becoming malnourished because the pain in her tongue and throat makes swallowing even the smallest bites or sips incredibly difficult.

"Every day is a battle just to get enough nutrition and hydration to continue treatment.(sic)"

The37-year-old model admitted the situation is even harder because of the "enormous financial burden" Jeana is facing due to a loss of income while she's having treatment.

She wrote: "On top of the physical toll, she has been unable to work. Because her job is commission-based, the loss of income has created an enormous financial burden at the very time she needs to focus all of her energy on healing."

Kara also shared a heartfelt message on Instagram about her mother's kindness and generosity as she appealed for donations to the GoFundMe.

She wrote: "She is kind to everyone--even to people who have nothing to offer her in return.

"She is generous to a fault. She gives people the benefit of the doubt, even when they've proven, over and over again, that they don't deserve her grace.

"At Jeana's house, "the more, the merrier" isn't just a saying--it's how she lives. Everyone is welcome. She never guards her friendships or makes people feel like outsiders. She has a gift for making people feel seen, included, and loved...

"But that's Jeana. Everyone who knows her knows this: she's almost impossibly optimistic in the face of terrifying things--wildfires, cancer, uncertainty. Yet somehow she's always been afraid of the simplest thing: being vulnerable enough to ask for help. So I'm asking for her.

"If you've ever been touched by Jeana's kindness, generosity, or friendship--or if you'd simply like to help someone who has spent her life helping others--please consider reading her story.

"The link is in my bio. Thank you for helping us carry her through this."