Dolly Parton passes away at 80 after decades of health battles
Country music legend Dolly Parton died at age 80 following a series of long-term medical problems that included endometriosis, depression, back pain and recent kidney and autoimmune issues.
Dolly Parton, 80, died on Aug. 25 after a lifetime of health challenges that she often spoke about publicly. In the early 1980s she endured severe abdominal pain and hemorrhaging, later diagnosed as endometriosis, which led to a partial hysterectomy in 1985. She described a deep depressive period around 2004, saying she felt trapped by weight and emotional distress.
A back injury in 2008 caused her to postpone the North American leg of her "Backwoods Barbie" tour and required weeks of rest. Kidney stones and an infection in September 2025 forced her to cancel a Las Vegas residency, and in May 2026 she announced further cancellations due to ongoing health concerns. Five days before her death she was admitted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville for kidney and autoimmune issues, and she passed away shortly thereafter, leaving fans to mourn her passing.
Why it matters
Parton's death marks the loss of a cultural icon whose health struggles highlighted issues faced by many, especially women.
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