Overview
- In a People interview published Wednesday, William Shatner and his daughter Melanie Shatner Gretsch said they were diagnosed with separate stage 4 cancers within about a year of each other and have both been declared cancer-free since late 2024.
- Melanie discovered a lump in July 2022 and was diagnosed with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer, receiving chemotherapy, HER2-targeted drugs, a double mastectomy and about 30 radiation treatments over roughly 18 months.
- Shatner was diagnosed with stage 4 malignant melanoma in June 2023 after a facial tumor was removed; he underwent surgery followed by two years of immunotherapy to treat disease that had spread to his lungs and brain.
- Both say modern therapies and specialist medical teams were central to their recoveries, and they describe close family support during treatment, including Shatner offering to cover Melanie’s medical bills so she would not worry.
- Building on their recovery, the pair will launch a weekly wellness podcast called No Time But Now with its first episode on July 29, 2026 to interview health experts and fellow survivors about resilience and care.