Dolly Parton Traveled Secretly to Germany for Experimental Cancer Treatment
The country music icon reportedly sought treatment abroad about a year before her death, with insiders suggesting it helped restore her strength.
Dolly Parton secretly traveled to Frankfurt, Germany, for an experimental cancer treatment approximately one year prior to her passing, according to reports.
Parton reportedly utilized a private jet for the journey and stayed in Germany for about a week. Insiders suggested that the singer believed the treatment was effective and helped restore her strength. A representative for Parton did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Her death on August 25, 2026, followed a private battle with cancer. Parton was 80 years old at the time of her death. Her sister, Stella Parton, previously stated that Dolly was willing to undergo experimental treatments in hopes of advancing cancer research for others, even if there was no hope for her own recovery.
Stella Parton also revealed that some family members were unaware of Dolly's cancer diagnosis, as she did not want to cause them worry. "She didn’t want a lot of the family worried about it," Stella told CBS Mornings. "Some of us knew, the ones that were closer."
Dolly Parton's specific type of cancer has not been publicly disclosed. Reports from the previous month indicated that she had been hospitalized at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville due to kidney and autoimmune issues shortly before her death.
Parton was laid to rest on August 28, 2026, in a private ceremony at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum, beside her late husband, Carl Dean Thomas.