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William Shatner, 95, and his youngest daughter, Melanie Shatner Gretsch, 61, are reflecting on a significant period in their lives after both were diagnosed with stage 4 cancer within a year. Now cancer-free, they are sharing how they supported each other and their family throughout treatment.
Melanie was diagnosed first. In July 2022, she discovered a small lump beneath her breast after waking during the night. In a recent interview with People, Melanie said she initially believed it was “just a bug bite.” She scheduled an imaging appointment for the next day, but the technician found no immediate cause for concern.
However, Melanie trusted her instincts and requested a second examination at the precise location where she felt the lump. She recalled, “[The technician] put the wand exactly where I put my finger and under her breath said, ‘Now, I would have missed that.'” Further testing confirmed HER2-positive breast cancer that had already spread to the lymph nodes in her chest.
William described the diagnosis as devastating, particularly because Melanie and her husband, Joel Gretsch, have two daughters. “She was very conscious of the importance of her life for herself and for her family. I was devastated,” he noted.
When Melanie expressed concern about treatment costs, William reassured her, saying, “Just send me the bills.” Over the next year and a half, she underwent chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, and 30 rounds of radiation therapy, which she described as emotionally and physically “draining.”
As her treatment was nearing its end, the family faced another devastating setback. In June 2023, William was diagnosed with stage 4 malignant melanoma that had spread to his lungs and brain. He underwent surgery to remove a tumor from his cheek before starting two years of immunotherapy to treat the cancer in his lungs and brain.
Despite the diagnosis, Melanie said her father refused to let cancer define his daily life. “He wouldn’t stop his life. He kept working and moving forward,” she said, adding, “Whenever he was home, Joel and I would bring dinner to him and watch movies, just always made sure that he’s not alone.”
The two were declared cancer-free in late 2024 and remain so today.
Reflecting on the experience, William said it deepened his appreciation for life and his loved ones. “I’m aware of the magic of it all,” he told the outlet. He emphasized the importance of family support, saying, “We’re a very together family. We’re bonded by all kinds of difficulties that we’ve overcome.”
Melanie said surviving cancer has permanently changed her outlook: “[Overcoming cancer] changed my life. I’m not so afraid anymore, and there’s so much freedom and joy.”
She has two sisters, Leslie, 67, and Lisabeth, 65, whom William had with his late wife, actress Gloria Rand.
