Stella Parton reveals Dolly hid cancer to avoid causing sadness
Developing story first seen 11 hours ago
Dolly Parton's sister Stella has given further detail on why the country music legend kept her cancer diagnosis secret from most of the family before her death last month, telling CBS Mornings' Gayle King that "she did not want people sad." Stella said only a small circle of close relatives knew Dolly was ill, an instinct that also extended to how she treated her fans, as Dolly had little patience for dwelling on negativity and did not want her illness to cause worry among those who loved her.
Dolly Parton died in Nashville on 25 August at the age of 80 following what her team called a brief battle with cancer, though the type has not been disclosed. Stella also revisited an earlier disclosure that Dolly had been willing to try experimental treatments even without hope of recovery, if it might help future patients, and noted Dolly would be "really happy and delighted" by the outpouring of tributes since her death, including becoming the world's most-streamed artist the day after she died. The full interview airs on CBS Mornings on Thursday 10 September.
- Only close relatives knew of Dolly Parton's cancer before her death
- She hid it so loved ones and fans wouldn't worry
- Sister Stella's full CBS interview airs Thursday 10 September
New here? Start with this
Dolly Parton, one of country music's most successful and best-loved figures, died in Nashville on 25 August at the age of 80, after what her team described as a brief battle with cancer. The exact type of cancer has not been made public. Her sister, Stella Parton, also a singer, has been speaking to the media in the weeks since, offering more detail on how the family handled the diagnosis.
Stella has revealed that Dolly deliberately kept the illness from most of her relatives, telling only a small, trusted circle. According to Stella, this was consistent with Dolly's long-standing character: she disliked dwelling on sadness or negativity and did not want her illness to cause worry among family members or fans.
The story matters because Dolly Parton was an exceptionally prominent and widely admired public figure, and the manner of her death, kept largely private until the end, has become part of the wider public reckoning with her legacy. Tributes have continued since her death, including reports that she became the world's most-streamed artist the day afterwards, and Stella's interviews are part of that ongoing public conversation about who Dolly was and how she chose to face her final months.
More coverage
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Consequence as “Dolly Parton’s Sister Explains Why She Kept Cancer Diagnosis Secret From Much of Family”.