Dolly Parton’s sister, Stella Parton, says Dolly kept her cancer battle largely private from both fans and “a lot of” her family before her death at age 80 on Aug. 25 in Nashville. Multiple outlets report Stella discussed the decision in an interview with Gayle King on CBS Mornings.
Stella says the rationale was to prevent worry and keep negative feelings from spreading, describing Dolly as not wanting people sad. Some coverage adds that the family also did not disclose the type of cancer, framing it as Dolly’s personal medical information and “not my business” to share. Other outlets emphasize that only a small circle of relatives knew details before her death.
While outlets agree on the central points—that Dolly’s cancer was kept private and Stella explained the reason—some differ in emphasis. Several focus on privacy from fans, others highlight that many relatives were not informed, and some specifically mention the family’s choice not to reveal the cancer type. Coverage also references Stella addressing a concerning social media post involving another sister, according to some reports.
