Overview
- In an exclusive People interview published Wednesday, July 22, 2026, the 95-year-old actor and his 61-year-old daughter revealed they each faced stage 4 cancer within about a year of one another and now report no evidence of disease.
- Melanie Shatner Gretsch was diagnosed with stage 4 HER2-positive breast cancer in 2022 after finding a lump and underwent chemotherapy, HER2-targeted drugs, a double mastectomy and 30 rounds of radiation over roughly 18 months.
- William Shatner was diagnosed with stage 4 malignant melanoma in June 2023 that had spread to his lungs and brain, had surgery to remove a facial tumor, and completed about two years of immunotherapy.
- They credit close family support and access to expert care and resources for helping them through treatment, with Melanie saying William offered to cover her medical bills and recounting an episode when he rushed to comfort her during chemotherapy.
- The pair plan to expand public outreach on survivorship and health with a new podcast called No Time But Now that will feature conversations with medical experts and other cancer survivors.