William Shatner has revealed that he and his youngest daughter, Melanie Shatner Gretsch, fought overlapping stage 4 cancer battles. The 95-year-old ‘Star Trek’ icon told USA Today that he was diagnosed with stage 4 malignant melanoma in 2023, around the same period Melanie, now 61, was undergoing treatment for stage 4 breast cancer.
Shatner said his cancer began as a lump on his cheek before spreading to his lungs and brain. He underwent surgery and two years of immunotherapy. Melanie, meanwhile, underwent chemotherapy, targeted treatment, a double mastectomy, and radiation.
Both father and daughter are now cancer-free, and they are turning their experience into a new weekly podcast, ‘No Time but Now,’ launching July 29. The series will feature conversations with health experts and cancer survivors.
Cancer affects millions of people around the world every year, including many famous faces. Click through the following gallery to learn more about stars who have fought cancer, those still facing the disease, and the few who sadly lost their battle.