Dolly Parton’s Look-Alike Niece Danielle Shares a Health Update Amid Cancer Battle

Getty

Dolly Parton's niece Danielle

Danielle Parton, Dolly’s 50-year-old niece who bears a striking resemblance to the late superstar, shared an update about the next steps in her breast cancer fight the same day she was announced as the new brand ambassador for her late aunt’s estate. She is the daughter of Bobby Parton, Dolly’s younger brother, who is the last living brother in the family at 78.

Danielle told her followers on October 23, “I’m about to go into an oncology appointment to figure out what my radiation schedule is gonna be.” She then switched the topic to her new position, saying, “I’m starting to get messages that a lot of you have seen the announcement, the press release this morning, that I’m named the brand ambassador of the Dolly Parton estate.” Danielle has given periodic updates about her breast cancer diagnosis and treatment on social media in recent months.

She continued, “I’m very grateful that I was asked to do this, and I have the opportunity and the ability to do it. It’s very touching to me to be able to participate in carrying on her legacy that way.”

Danielle, a former Air National Guard member and current commercial pilot, added that she’s “just one of many” out of her numerous family members “that are continuing to do this work.”

Dolly had 11 siblings, at least 12 nieces and nephews, and many greats. In her video, Danielle seemed determined to include the family in her upcoming projects, saying, “I think we can do some good things together, all of us.”

The blonde beauty, who owns a moonshine distillery in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee called Shine Girl, indicated her cancer will not be slowing her down. She shared plans to travel to Texas to do landing checks in order to keep her pilot’s license up to date, and said she has lots to do for her own business as well.

The dog mom retired from the military in 2025, and Dolly made one of her final speeches at the occasion.

Danielle Had a Partial Mastectomy Earlier This Month

In an Instagram update from October 6, Danielle bravely revealed she’d just completed her second partial mastectomy. She said the surgery went well, and explained why she’d had to redo the procedure. “The cancer removed on the first surgery was much larger than expected. So, we had to remove a tad more tissue to make sure we got a clean margin,” she shared.

Dolly Parton Helped Danielle Promote Her New Moonshine Distillery Location With Pre-Recorded Video Clips

Dolly, who broke fans’ hearts around the world when she died on August 23, pre-recorded a clip to be used for a video promoting Danielle’s moonshine venture. She opened the video with, “Ladies and gentleman, my niece, Danielle Parton.”

The video then cut to a clip of Danielle listing some of her dearest family values including “faith, humor, hard work, and big dreams.” She said Dolly would always be “my Aunt Granny” and that she “always encouraged me to find my way in this world.”

Danielle then touched on her business, saying that in addition to being a pilot, “I’m also the creator of Shine Girl, my moonshine brand in East Tennessee. Specifically, in Pigeon Forge. Exactly ‘Two Doors Down’ from Dollywood.

She joked about her family’s history of “moonshinin’ and maybe drinkin’ a little” before saying she wants to carry it her own way into the future with a “modern twist.”