Dolly Parton’s sister Stella says only some family knew about cancer battle

Stella Parton is opening up about her late sister Dolly Parton's quiet battle with cancer.

The younger Parton, 77, said that the country legend kept her cancer battle private because she didn't want to worry the public, comments previously echoed by her niece, Jada Star.

"She did not want people sad," Stella Parton told "CBS Mornings" cohost Gayle King in an interview released Wednesday, Sept. 9. "She'd be really happy and delighted that people have shown her so much love."

Stella Parton added that not everyone in the family was aware of her cancer diagnosis.

"Some of us knew, the ones of us that were closer," she continued. "Dolly could not bear negative things. And she would not have wanted her fans worried about it."

The beloved cultural icon and "Queen of Country" died Aug. 25 at 80, surrounded by loved ones at a Nashville medical center after briefly battling cancer, her representatives confirmed to USA TODAY. The family has not publicly confirmed what type of cancer Parton had, or how long she was sick.

Parton's death came after multiple concert cancellations and missed appearances amid medical issues, which included problems with her immune and digestive systems over the years.

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/entertainment/