Big Ang staying 'positive' despite stage 4 cancer battle

NEW YORK, Feb. 3 (UPI) -- Big Ang is not giving up despite her ongoing cancer battle.

The 55-year-old Mob Wives star, born Angela Raiola, assured fans she's "keeping positive" in a tweet this week as she continues to fight stage 4 brain and lung cancer.

"Ang could teach us all something on the show," co-star Karen Gravano recently told Wetpaint. "We all claim to be fighters and are at war with each other, but Ang is in a war for her life. She gets up every day, she stays strong, she's a caretaker for her family and people that love her."

Big Ang was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2015, and started chemotherapy again in January. Her sister, Janine Detore, started a crowd funding page Tuesday after Big Ang was hospitalized for labored breathing and severe pain.

"On January 26th the doctor reviewed her CT scan and informed us that the treatment was not working, and in fact one tumor grew larger and the other tumors had no change," Detore wrote. "We were advised that she would start immunotherapy the following week."

Detore is seeking to raise $25,000 for cannabis oil her sister can use as a pain remedy. The family thanked fans for contributing nearly $21,000 as of Wednesday, tweeting, "Thank you for your love & prayers. Keep positive, thanks for supporting, Ang is strong."

Mob Wives is presently in its sixth and final season, and airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on VH1. The series follows several women with connections to the mafia, and co-stars Gravano, Drita D'Acanzo, Renee Graziano and Carla Facciolo.