Anna Cardwell Experienced Four Miscarriages Before Her Terrible Death From Adrenal Cancer

Last year, in December, Anna "Chickadee" Cardwell, daughter of reality TV personality "Mama June" Shannon, died at the age of 29 following a brave struggle against adrenal cancer. The announcement came through Shannon's recent poignant Instagram post that left the fans and followers in utter shock.

Cardwell, known as Chickadee, had been facing the challenges of not only a terminal illness but also the heart-wrenching experience of multiple miscarriages. In an exclusive interview with The U.S. Sun in 2021, she opened up about the difficulties she and her long-term boyfriend, Eldridge Toney, faced while trying to conceive their third child. The couple had a daughter, Kaitlyn Clark, who is now 11, and Kylee Cardwell, seven, from Cardwell's previous marriage to Michael.

The journey to expand their family was marked by profound struggles, as Cardwell revealed, "It's been a long bumpy road for us trying to have baby number three," citing four miscarriages and a D&C procedure (which removes tissue from one's uterus). The most recent miscarriage, occurring just two days before Christmas in 2020, necessitated the painful D&C. Cardwell and Eldridge maintained their determination to expand their family with another kid on the way. However, amid their quest for a third child, tragedy struck when Cardwell was diagnosed with stage 4 adrenal carcinoma at the age of 28 in January.

The diagnosis came after Cardwell reported extreme stomach aches before getting them checked. The family accepted the terminal nature of the illness, and Shannon shared that they were taking it 'one day at a time.' In the face of the relentless disease, Cardwell continued to update well-wishers on her health through TikTok. Just a month before her passing, she shared that her recent radiation treatment surpassed expectations and that she was undergoing autoimmune therapy. Despite the excruciating pain of the D&C, Cardwell expressed her determination to give it one more try, taking the necessary precautions to care for her health and the potential new life they were hoping for.

The loss of Alana "Honey Boo Boo" Thompson's sister is being mourned. 18-year-old Thompson expressed her appreciation that her sister waited to pass away until she was home in a heartfelt Instagram tribute. The Here Comes Honey Boo Boo actress talked about how tough it was to watch her sister fight the incurable illness for a whole year. "Watching my 29-year-old sister this last year battle this horrible disease hasn’t been easy. Anna was a fighter & still is," Thompson wrote.

Thompson emphasized in her heartbreaking speech the suffering Cardwell went through and the family's decision to be there for her in her last moments. The youthful reality star expressed her profound sadness at losing out on important life experiences to her sister, saying, "I would’ve loved for you to get to see me graduate college, but I know you will forever cheer me on in heaven!" reported People.

Editor's note: This article was originally published on December 12, 2023. It has since been updated.