William Shatner, daughter reveal they both fought stage 4 cancer at same time

Actor William Shatner is opening up about his recent cancer battle, sharing that he and his daughter both had stage 4 cancer diagnoses at the same time.

Shatner, 95, and his daughter, Melanie Shatner Gretsch, 61, are now both cancer-free, People reported. The actor, who played Capt. James Kirk on the 1960s television series “Star Trek” and became the oldest person to travel into space in 2021, spoke about his new outlook on life.

“I’m thinking of the miracle of a hummingbird, and of my dog taking a ball, and my children,” Shatner told the magazine. “I’m aware of the magic of it all.”

Gretsch was diagnosed with breast cancer in July 2022. A year later, Shatner learned he had a lump on his cheek. Doctors diagnosed a stage 4 melanoma that had spread to his lungs and brain.

Gretsch said she underwent several rounds of chemotherapy, had a double mastectomy and 30 radiation therapy treatments for 18 months after her diagnosis. But she told People that her father’s condition was especially concerning.

“I remember vividly thinking, ‘I don’t have the strength to take care of myself and lose my father at the same time,” she told the magazine.

Shatner underwent surgery to remove the tumor on his face, People reported. He then had two years of immunotherapy to target the cancer in his lungs and brain.

And remained active.

“He wouldn’t stop his life,” Gretsch said. “He kept working and moving forward.

“Whenever he was home, (her husband) Joel (Gretsch) and I would bring dinner to him and watch movies, just always made sure that he’s not alone.”

By late 2024, Shatner and Gretsch were both declared cancer-free.

“It was the third time in my life I had heard him cry,” Gretsch told People.

The father-daughter duo continue to remain active. On July 29, they will launch a new weekly podcast, "No Time but Now," where they plan to interview health experts and other survivors, People reported.

Shatner has two books and a pair of records -- including a metal album -- scheduled for release by early next year, according to the magazine.

“I’m healthier now than I’ve been in years,” Shatner said. “The brain is like a muscle. It feeds on activity.”

“It’s easy for us in this lovely home to say, ‘Make your life meaningful.’ It’s much more difficult to be poverty-stricken and wonder how you’re going to get through it. I’ve been there,” Shatner told People. “But it’s also possible to endure that and be aware of the beauty around you.”

“(Overcoming cancer) changed my life,” Gretsch told the magazine. “I’m not so afraid anymore, and there’s so much freedom and joy.”

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