Dolly Parton Secretly Traveled to Germany for Experimental Cancer Treatment a Year Before Her Death: Report

Dolly Parton went abroad for experimental treatment before she died, according to a report.

The star passed away at 80 years old on August 25 following a brief battle with cancer, which had not been previously shared with the public, and ongoing autoimmune and kidney issues.

Though she passed away while receiving treatment at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, Tenn., one insider claimed she traveled to Germany for experimental care.

According to TMZ, the "Jolene" underwent private treatment a year before she passed away.

The star allegedly flew privately from the United States to Frankfurt for about a week to undergo a mysterious procedure.

Though the details of the care she received in Europe have not been revealed, at the time it appeared successful and helped restore Parton's strength and spirit.

Her exact type of cancer remains unclear.

In the year before she died, Parton canceled and rescheduled several appearances due to concerns about her health.

The musician missed an appearance at her Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., in September 2025 due to kidney stones.

"Turns out there was an infection," she told fans in a pre-recorded video. "And the doctor said, 'You don't need to be traveling around this minute… You need a few days to feel better.' So he suggested I not go to Dollywood today."

"Don't worry about me, I'm going to be okay. Just can't do it today," she added.

In October 2025, she released a video addressing fans' concerns over her health, admitting that she may have neglected her own well-being while caring for her late husband, Carl Dean, before he died in March 2025.

"I wanted to put everybody's mind at ease, those of you that seem to be real concerned, which I appreciate," she gushed. "I appreciate your prayers, 'cause I'm a person of faith. I can always use the prayers for anything and everything. But I want you to know that I'm okay."

"There were a lot of rumors flying around, but I figured if you heard it from me, you'd know that I was okay," Parton added. "So anyhow, that's what I wanted to say, and I was not ready to die yet. I didn't think God was through with me, and I wasn't done working. So I loved you for caring, and I asked you to keep praying for me."

Parton was noticeably absent from the public eye in the months leading up to her death.

She canceled yet another in-person appearance at Dollywood scheduled for August 16, and her Las Vegas residency, which had already been rescheduled to September.

Just four days before she passed away, the singer explained her recent struggles in a statement to People.

“I am dealing with some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to when I was watching over Carl,” she revealed. “You know, this isn’t the first time I’ve had to manage something like this."

"Seriously, though, even though I’m still healin’, I’m still workin’! You know me — as I’ve often said — I’ve dreamed myself into a corner and I still have so many things I want to achieve, so I’m gonna keep on working as long as I can to see everything come to life," she later added.