Back in 2013, the National Enquirer reported that Dolly allegedly had gotten a preventative surgery for esophagus cancer. A source said that after Dolly reportedly lost 20 pounds, the singer “knew something had to be done or she could die. Her weight was dropping dramatically, she was chugging antacid medication, and she couldn’t eat anything but soft, bland foods.”
However, this was never confirmed. As far as we know, Dolly is completely healthy, but this wasn’t the only time people thought the singer was ill.
Source: https://www.distractify.com/p/is-dolly-parton-sick