{"id":8851,"date":"2026-09-10T13:09:52","date_gmt":"2026-09-10T13:09:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=8851"},"modified":"2026-09-10T13:09:52","modified_gmt":"2026-09-10T13:09:52","slug":"dolly-parton-kept-cancer-private-to-protect-loved-ones-fans-sister","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=8851","title":{"rendered":"Dolly Parton kept cancer private to protect loved ones, fans: sister"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Dolly Parton kept her cancer diagnosis private to protect fans and loved ones from sadness as she declined, her sister Stella revealed Wednesday in her first interview since the beloved star\u2019s death last month.<\/p>\n

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The singer\u2019s fans were shocked when the effervescent country music star, actress and philanthropist died at age 80 on Aug. 25 after what was later revealed to be a brief cancer battle.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe family seemed to have time to prepare,\u201d \u201cCBS Mornings\u201d co-host Gayle King said in the Nashville sit-down. \u201cTo the rest of us looking in from the outside, it was such a shock to us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even much of Parton\u2019s family was in the dark, Stella clarified, echoing previous comments by their first cousin Richie Owens, the family historian. But until Wednesday, few people knew why.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe didn\u2019t want a lot of the family worried about it,\u201d Stella said. \u201cSome of us knew, the ones of us that were closer, but not the whole family knew. Not every relative.\u201d<\/p>\n

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That concern extended to the widest circle of all, Parton\u2019s fans.<\/p>\n

\u201cDolly did not want anybody to tell that because Dolly could not bear negative things, and she would not have wanted her fans worried about it,\u201d 77-year-old Parton said of her older sister, who appeared effortlessly effervescent until the end. \u201cShe did not want people sad.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Holding her health problems close served the dual purpose of supporting Parton\u2019s bereaved family and other loved ones after her death, Stella Parton told King in a Nashville interview. \u201cShe\u2019d be really happy and delighted that people have shown her so much love, because she knew that that would make us feel better.\u201d<\/p>\n