William Shatner, 95, reveals he and daughter, 61, were diagnosed with stage VI cancer at the same time
23 July 2026, 16:44
William Shatner has opened up about one of the most challenging periods of his life, revealing he and his youngest daughter, Melanie Shatner Gretsch, were both diagnosed with stage 4 cancer within months of each other.
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The Star Trek legend, 95, and Melanie, 61, have shared their remarkable story in a new interview with PEOPLE, revealing they are now both cancer-free after undergoing intensive treatment and leaning on each other throughout their health struggles.
Their family's ordeal began in 2022 after Melanie discovered a small lump beneath her breast by chance in the middle of the night.
Although she had received a clear mammogram just five months earlier, further testing revealed she had HER2-positive breast cancer that had spread to the lymph nodes in her chest.
As Melanie underwent chemotherapy, targeted therapies, a double mastectomy and radiation treatment, she found herself relying heavily on her father.
Recalling one particularly difficult night, she said: "I was having a moment and was hysterical. I called you and said, 'I think I'm dying.'"
Just 15 minutes later, William arrived at her home."He gave me... a 'daddy bear hug,'" Melanie recalled. "He said, 'This is going to be a blip in your life. You're going to get through this, and it'll be a memory.'"
But while Melanie was nearing the end of her treatment, the family was dealt another devastating blow.
In June 2023, William was diagnosed with stage 4 malignant melanoma after initially believing a lump on his cheek was nothing serious. The cancer had spread to both his lungs and brain before he began treatment.
The diagnosis left Melanie fearing the worst. "I remember vividly thinking, 'I don't have the strength to take care of myself and lose my father at the same time,'" she admitted.
William, however, remained determined to stay positive, recalling doctors telling him: "You got cancer. If you came in later, you would have been dead," adding: "I think the universe is taking care of me."
Despite undergoing surgery followed by two years of immunotherapy, the veteran actor continued working throughout his treatment.
"He wouldn't stop his life. He kept working and moving forward," Melanie said. "Whenever he was home, Joel and I would bring dinner to him and watch movies, just always made sure that he's not alone."
Doctors involved in William's care praised the advances that helped transform his prognosis.
Dr. Omid Hamid, chief of translational research and immuno-oncology at The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute, explained that immunotherapy treatments have dramatically improved outcomes for patients with advanced melanoma.
"He was treated with a combination of two drugs," he said. "It's very tolerable in older patients. He's doing phenomenally well."
Melanie's breast surgeon, Dr. Carlie Thompson, also described modern treatments as "groundbreaking," explaining they enabled Melanie to reach the point where she now has "no evidence of disease."
By late 2024, both father and daughter had officially been declared cancer-free, a moment Melanie said moved William to tears.
"It was the third time in my life I had heard him cry," she recalled after sharing the news of her recovery.
The experience has inspired a new chapter for the pair, who will launch their weekly podcast, No Time but Now, on July 29.
The series will feature conversations with health experts and fellow survivors while exploring wellness, resilience and longevity.
Reflecting on everything they've endured, William said surviving cancer has changed the way he views life.
"I'm thinking of the miracle of a hummingbird, and of my dog taking a ball, and my children," he said. "I'm aware of the magic of it all."
