DOLLY PARTON'S SISTER STELLA EXPLAINS WHY CANCER DETAILS REMAINED PRIVATE

Stella Parton has disclosed that details of her sister Dolly Parton's cancer diagnosis were kept private out of respect for the musician's wishes. Speaking to Gayle King on CBS Mornings, Stella said that whilst Dolly never explicitly instructed her family to withhold information about her diagnosis, she did not authorise them to discuss it publicly. Stella stated: "So out of respect for her ... it's not my business to tell her business." Dolly died on 25 August, aged 80, following what her publicist described as a "brief battle with cancer."

According to Stella, Dolly had been dealing with health issues she had not prioritised whilst caring for Carl Dean, her husband, who died in March 2025 at age 82. In an interview published by People magazine days before her death, Dolly said she had recently experienced "hard times with my health" but continued working despite still healing. Stella described her sister as optimistic and said the last request Dolly made of her was for prayer. When asked what she missed most about Dolly, Stella said: "Her optimism," and added that she was grateful her sister was no longer struggling in pain.

Dolly's death was announced by her nephew Bryan Seaver in an Instagram video. The musician had withdrawn from several public appearances in the months preceding her death, prompting concern among fans about her wellbeing.