Dolly Parton kept her cancer diagnosis private from much of her extended family before her death last month, and according to her sister Stella, the decision came down to one thing: she didn’t want the people around her worrying. Dolly Parton died in Nashville on August 25th at age 80 following what her team described as a brief battle with cancer. Her family has not disclosed what type of cancer she had.
Speaking with Gayle King for her first interview since Dolly Parton‘s death, Stella Parton said only a small circle of relatives knew the country legend was sick. “Some of us knew, the ones of us that were closer,” she told CBS Mornings. Stella Parton said the secrecy extended to fans as well. “She did not want people sad,” she explained, adding that Dolly Parton had little tolerance for dwelling on the negative and would not have wanted her illness to make those who loved her anxious or sad.
Private Battle with Cancer
That instinct was true even as Dolly Parton faced her own mortality. Shortly after her death, Stella Parton revealed that her sister had told her she would be willing to try experimental treatments even if doctors believed there was no hope for recovery, provided doing so might help future cancer patients. As previously reported, Stella Parton described the gesture as another example of Dolly Parton thinking about others until the end.
Legacy and Tributes
Dolly Parton‘s diagnosis was largely unknown outside that inner circle despite mounting concern about her health over the final year of her life. She had canceled or postponed several public appearances and performances while dealing with health issues, though she continued working on a wide range of projects almost until the very end. Her representatives later revealed that she had left behind a roadmap of music, film, television, and other projects intended to continue for years to come.
The public response Stella Parton says Dolly Parton hoped would comfort her family has certainly arrived. “She’d be really happy and delighted that people have shown her so much love,” Stella Parton said. Tributes poured in from across music and beyond following her death, while listeners returned to her catalog in extraordinary numbers. In fact, Dolly Parton became the most-streamed artist in the world on August 26th, just one day after her death.
More of Stella Parton‘s interview with Gayle King is set to air Thursday, September 10th, on CBS Mornings. The outpouring of love and support for Dolly Parton is a testament to her enduring legacy and the impact she had on the lives of those who knew her and those who admired her from afar. As the world continues to mourn her passing, it is clear that Dolly Parton‘s memory and music will live on for generations to come.
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