GG's Health Is the Most Important Thing to Her Family on 'Doubling Down With the Derricos'
"I'll keep on fighting until God tells me to stop," GG says during a Season 5 episode.
Updated July 5 2024, 11:14 a.m. ET
TLC's hit reality TV series Doubling Down With the Derricos has highlighted a number of health issues going on with various members of the Derrico family. One of the major scares has involved Deon's mother, Marian Derrico, aka "GG." Previously, viewers learned that GG had been experiencing some concerning symptoms.
Although it seemed like the family matriarch was finally on the mend after undergoing open heart surgery, life threw her yet another curve ball when it was revealed her lung cancer had returned.
So, how is GG doing today? She continues to share updates on the show and on social media.
How is GG from 'Doubling Down With the Derricos' doing now?
During Season 4, GG dropped a bomb that no one expected. She explained that her doctor wanted her to continue with chemo treatment for her lung cancer, but she wasn't sure she wanted to take his advice.
"I just don't think I can do this anymore," she told her family at the time.
In November 2022, she shared an Instagram video to update supporters about her health.
"I'll do my last chemo treatment on the 6th [of the month] and everything's looking promising. I'm really trusting in God that the chemo is working. I know that it has worked some, I just hope that it's worked all the way and that there'll be no residual of any disease left," GG said in the November 2022 video.
However, more recently, viewers watched GG struggle with her health in Season 5 of the TLC show. While she continues to undergo chemotherapy treatment, despite briefly wanting to pause treatment, she confides in son Deon that the "mental" and "emotional" toll everything takes on her is a lot to bear.
Although Deon hasn't shared much about his mother's health on social media since the season premiered, it's likely because GG continues to be incredibly candid on the show and in sharing her story with fans that way. In May 2024, though, Deon did shout out his mom in an Instagram post, where he wished her a happy Mother's Day.
Did GG from 'Doubling With With the Derricos' pass away?
GG has been battling lung cancer and related health issues for 10 years, since her 2014 diagnosis. And, although there are times when it seems she doesn't feel strong enough to continue the fight, it looks like she is doing just that. Fans of the TLC family are often concerned about GG's health and whether or not she passed away because of her illness. However, it looks like GG is still fighting.
GG ended up in the ER in late June 2024. What happened?
GG was taken to the ER at the end of June 2024, leaving fans concerned about her current health. However, Deon confirmed via Instagram on June 23, 2024, that she is okay and the visit was due to low potassium levels and dehydration.
In another post, Deon panned the camera over GG, who was lying in a hospital bed, where she provided fans with some insight as to what is going on. Despite admitting she's "been going through it," GG managed to joke with Deon, saying, "Don’t start, I don’t feel like popping you," to which Deon replied, "See, there you have it, GG is doing better."
GG was reluctant to see an oncologist because of her past experiences.
Deon tried to convince GG to see an oncologist in order to explore her treatment options in Season 4, but GG was hesitant to go through it again.
"With my experiences with oncologists, I'm just reluctant to go to another one," GG said at the time. "That diagnosis is frightening. And the thing about it, you can't shake the fear. And then you get to somebody that has been trained to help you, and then they talk to you like you're no longer there. They're just conversing with the disease."
Ultimately, Deon was able to persuade GG to see a cancer specialist. Dr. Rupesh Parikh helped put GG's anxieties at ease with his approach to treatment. "My philosophy on treating patients is always treating the patient first," the medical oncologist said on the show. "I think if you always put the patient first, everything goes much better."
"I'm willing to explore this option if it makes me feel better and gets me more time with my grandbabies," GG explained. "But if it makes me feel sick and weak and I'm unable to spend quality time with my family, hey, continuing to do chemo will not be worth it for me."
Since then, GG has remained dedicated to her health while also spending as much time as possible with her family.
Past seasons of Doubling Down With the Derricos available to stream on TLC.