Vicki Gunvalson’s boyfriend Brooks Ayers has been a controversial figure on the Real Housewives of Orange County for the past few seasons, but his story is taking a more serious turn now that he’s been battling cancer. According to Radar Online, Brooks’ recent 6-month round of chemotherapy hasn’t yielded favorable results. “When the test results came back, the numbers haven’t changed substantially,” he said. “They haven’t gotten worse, but they haven’t gotten better. That was kind of disheartening, to be honest with you.”
Brooks has been battling Stage 3 Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, specifically diffuse large B cell lymphoma, since the fall of 2013. Brooks now faces three options: more aggressive chemo (3-4 times a week), a stem cell transplant, or a more holistic approach – recommended by fellow OC Housewife Shannon Beador – which would eschew chemo altogether.
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“Shannon Beador’s been very much in our corner and putting us in contact with a lot of unbelievable world-renowned holistic physicians based here in Irvine (California),” Brooks says. “We’re exploring that and with that would come no chemo. It would be addressing and taking what I’ve been doing with the holistic diet and an infrared sauna.” Shannon was a fan favorite during her premiere season as a new addition to the RHOC cast and is known for her transparency on camera as well as her commitment to a holistic, natural lifestyle, which left some viewers scratching their heads at time (i.e. she won’t let her children use cell phones, but has no problem driving a gas-guzzling luxury SUV).
No matter what treatment Brooks pursues, he admits “there are no guarantees.”
DOES TAMRA JUDGE SUPPORT VICKI & BROOKS’ RELATIONSHIP?
One thing is guaranteed: that Vicki will stand by her man’s side through it all. Despite the warnings of her friends, family (daughter Briana has had serious issues with Brooks in the past), and fellow RHOC cast mates in the past, Vicki remains loyally committed to Brooks, especially through this trying time. Brooks says Vicki “keeps me up and going and it’s been good rather than just routine, monotonous life — that’s not what we’re about,” he said. “So it’s been very good from that perspective.”
Not hiding from the reality TV cameras during his battle, Brooks says he’ll still be featured on the upcoming season of RHOC. He says he wants to show the world the reality of facing hard times. “At the end of the day, we want to show that you don’t have to lay down and let this disease or the normal course of what we think cancer can do take you down.”
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