{"id":2402010,"date":"2026-05-04T20:41:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-04T20:41:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2402010"},"modified":"2026-05-04T20:41:00","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T20:41:00","slug":"dolly-parton-discloses-issues-with-her-immune-and-digestive-systems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/dolly-parton-discloses-issues-with-her-immune-and-digestive-systems\/","title":{"rendered":"Dolly Parton discloses issues with her immune and digestive systems"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Dolly Parton has been receiving treatment for unspecified health issues concerning her immune and digestive systems, she announced Monday, saying at the same time that her postponed Las Vegas residency has been canceled. <\/p>\n

The legendary singer and beloved pop culture icon spoke candidly about her health in an Instagram video<\/a> posted Monday morning, months after she sparked health concerns late last year. She told fans she had \u201csome good news and a little bad news\u201d to share, leading with her treatment. \u201cI\u2019m responding really well to meds and treatments, and I\u2019m improving every day,\u201d the 80-year-old said. That was the good news. <\/p>\n

The bad news? The \u201cJolene\u201d and \u201cI Will Always Love You\u201d hitmaker said she will continue taking time away from performing live, noting that her medications and treatments \u201cmake me a little bit swimmy headed.\u201d The singer said she doesn\u2019t want her performances to compromise on any part of the glitzy Dolly Parton fantasy, from her elaborate costumes and signature stilettos to her \u201cbig, uh, personality\u201d (read: her chest).<\/p>\n

The \u201c9 to 5\u201d star raised concern among her fan base last fall after she pulled out from a number of scheduled appearances and performances. In late September, she missed an event at her Dollywood amusement park due to kidney stones<\/a>. After that absence, she called off mulitple concerts<\/a> in Las Vegas for unspecified health issues. Her younger sister Freida sparked additional concern after she said in a Facebook post she had been \u201cup all night\u201d praying for the singer. At the time, Freida Parton called on her sister\u2019s fans to \u201cto be prayer warriors and pray with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Amid those concerns, Dolly Parton told fans via video that the death of her husband, Carl Dean,<\/a> had taken a toll on her health. Dean died in March 2025 at age 82. She said when she finally got around to seeing her doctors, they said, \u201c\u2018We need to take care of this, we need to take care of that.\u2019\u201d She assured fans at the time that there was \u201cnothing major\u201d to worry about and that cancellations were in store to ensure she can continue receiving treatment. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not ready to die yet,\u201d Parton said in that October video. <\/p>\n

In Monday\u2019s video statement, Parton compared herself to a classic car that, \u201conce restored, can be better than ever.\u201d She likened her various health conditions to car parts that need to be replaced or tuned up: \u201cFor sure, my spark plugs need to be changed, because you know as well as I know that I can\u2019t lose my spark.\u201d <\/p>\n

Then the singer, who has struggled with kidney stones, plainly laid out what has been causing her grief. <\/p>\n

\u201cMy immune system and digestive system got all out of whack over the past couple of three years,\u201d she said. \u201c[Doctors are] working real hard on rebuilding and strengthening those. And hopefully I\u2019ll be up to snuff again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Parton also pulled the plug on her Las Vegas residency, but said Monday she has numerous other ventures in the works: her Dollywood amusement park, a museum and hotel opening in Nashville later this year, and a Broadway musical titled \u201cDolly: A True Original Musical\u201d to bow in New York in the fall or early winter. <\/p>\n

In the final part of her video, Parton spoke about grieving her late husband. Since his death, the singer said, she has gone through a number of \u201cfirsts.\u201d \u201cI mean the holidays, and especially our wedding anniversary, and the day of his death … that was hard for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I will always love him and I\u2019ll always miss him,\u201d she said, later telling fans they \u201cwould be surprised at how much your love and concern meant to me during that time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have been a big part of my healing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Throughout the video, Parton weaved her cheery demeanor and wit in with the more serious tidbits about her health and grief. She carried that through the end of the clip when she recalled a conversation with Dean about upsides of, yep, plastic surgery. After he told her she wasn\u2019t getting any younger, she said, she answered, \u201cWell honey, you\u2019ve got to remember that as long as there are plastic surgeons in this world, I\u2019m not getting any older.\u201d<\/p>\n

Getting serious again, Parton said that plastic surgeons can help take care of the body\u2019s exterior, but \u201cit\u2019s serious business when you\u2019re talking about internal medicine.\u201d She concluded her video informing fans she has \u201cgreat doctors\u201d who \u201cassure me that everything I have is treatable.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n