Although Dolly Parton Is a Flawless Human Being, She Still Dealt With Health Issues

So many entertainers have turned their talents into an empire, but few have done it quite like Dolly Parton. The selfless singer/songwriter from Sevierville, Tenn. has given back to her community, the country, and the world in numerous ways, including but not limited to a book gifting program, scholarship funds, a bald eagle sanctuary, and medical research. We have barely scraped the surface of the philanthropic work done by Dolly.

Dolly is also incredibly fun. How many people can say they have built and maintained an amusement park that draws millions of visitors each year? In March 2025, Dollywood celebrated its 40th anniversary, less than two weeks after Dolly's husband of 60 years passed away. While marking the occasion, Dolly said Carl Dean always encouraged her to dream big. Of course, all of this dreaming and doing can come with a price. Here is the latest update on Dolly's health.

The "Jolene" singer has not revealed any health issues, though she once struggled with something many women deal with. In her 2017 book, Dolly on Dolly: Interviews and Encounters With Dolly Parton, the songwriter revealed she once suffered from a devastating case of endometriosis.

According to the World Health Organization, endometriosis is a "disease in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus. It can cause severe pain in the pelvis and make it harder to get pregnant." Other symptoms include heavy bleeding during or between menstruation, fatigue, depression, and anxiety. Endometriosis pain is often debilitating and affects one's quality of life.

Dolly revealed in the book that she first "got sick" when she was 35 years old. "I went to the very bottom as far as my emotions and my health are concerned," she wrote. "I was getting away with murder. I wasn’t watching what I ate, I wasn’t conscious of nutrition, wasn’t taking care of myself. I was working hard, and underneath, I was a pile of personal and emotional problems." Things came to a head when she collapsed on stage in 1984. That ultimately led to her diagnosis.

In May 2025, Dolly spoke about life without Carl Deal while chatting with the Associated Press about her new single-serve Southern-inspired frozen meals. "I really feel his presence," she said. "I just try to go on, because I know I have to. And he was ill for quite a while, and part of me was at peace that he was at peace and not suffering anymore. But that still doesn’t make up for the loss and the loneliness of it."

Dolly once again mentioned Carl Dean's support of all her dreams, saying he was always proud of her, so losing him meant she had to "take all of that energy" and put it back into other things. Her plan is to keep her late husband ever-present in whatever she does. "I just think that if you’re successful, if you are lucky enough to see your dreams come true, you need to make new dreams out of your other dreams," explained Dolly.