Denise Richards

Denise Richards, Richie Sambora Face Parents' Cancer

By Nicholas White

02/21/2007 at 09:10 AM EST

Denise Richards says she and her boyfriend of 10 months, Richie Sambora, are leaning on each other as they both face tough times.

"My mother has cancer and Richie's father has cancer," Richards, 36, told PEOPLE at Tuesday's GM Ten fashion show in Hollywood. "It's hard. Thank God Richie and I have each other not only to go through divorce, but to go through both our parents being ill."

Richards has been helping to raise money for Houston's M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. "They've been treating both our parents," she said.

Asked how things are with Sambora, 47, Richards told PEOPLE, "You know, I'm really happy. I'm just taking one day at a time in my life."

Richards's four-year marriage to Charlie Sheen officially ended in November; Sambora and wife Heather Locklear split last year.

In November, Sambora told TV's Extra of his relationship with Richards: "Obviously, we're doing very well right now." The dad to 9-year-old Ava also said he wants more kids. With Richards? "You never know."