Not his place. Colleen Conrad has called out her ex, former Jon & Kate Plus 8 star Jon Gosselin, for discussing her cancer diagnosis while appearing on an episode of The Dr. Oz Show.
“How is it [OK] for someone else to keep talking about your cancer diagnosis on TV of in the media without your permission?” Colleen, 51, shared via Instagram on Thursday, November 18.
After a fan commented on the post, “I’m guessing she is talking about Jon Gosselin,” Colleen simply replied, “Yes.”
The TLC alum, 44, appeared on an episode of Dr. Oz on November 8 and discussed a number of topics, including his split with Colleen.
“We had ongoing issues previous to our breakup and previous to her diagnosis,” Jon told Dr. Mehmet Oz. “We had trouble in the relationship for a long time and didn’t really want any stress during her treatment.”
He added that the former couple thought it was “best” to end their romantic relationship and “work on [their] friendship” to “get her through her treatment.”
The DJ stated the split was “mutual.”
“I’ll always love Colleen and we’re friends and it wasn’t because of cancer [that we broke up],” Jon said. “I helped her through cancer, insurance and everything else. I supported her through her cancer. It was easier as friends to break off the relationship and get her through that as well.”
“It was good for my kids too,” Jon said. Jon currently has custody of Collin and Hannah, who live with him in Pennsylvania. The other 17-year-old sextuplets, Aaden, Joel, Alexis and Leah, moved to North Carolina with their mother, Kate Gosselin, after years of a tumultuous custody battle. Their eldest children, 21-year-old twin daughters, Mady and Cara, are at separate colleges in New York state.
“I [could] focus on [Collin and Hannah] as well and focus on other things that were going on in my life, other projects and work as well,” he said. “Then I could really focus on helping my friend get through her cancer.”
Jon explained that the split was hard on Collin, but Colleen continues to be a “big part” of his and Hannah’s lives. On September 28, Colleen shared a photo with her son, Jesse, for National Sons Day and responded to a fan who asked about Collin.
“Collin knows how much I love him and will always be there for him despite Jon and I no longer being together,” the health care professional responded. “He is doing very well.”
Colleen announced that she was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer on August 7, adding that she had undergone a “single mastectomy” on her “right breast” on July 14 and then had a DIEP Flap procedure performed on July 30.
Jon and the registered nurse confirmed their split on August 12, after seven years of dating, despite both the exes wanting it “to work out,” a source told In Touch at the time.
Two days prior to Colleen revealing she had undergone treatment, the health professional shared another quote, possibly targeting her ex, on her social media account.
“You find out who’s really there for you when you need them to be there the most,” the post read.