Speaking at the Avatar: Fire and Ash premiere in Los Angeles on Dec. 1, Cyrus said Parton remains characteristically resilient despite her recent medical issues. “She’s always gonna keep the show going,” the 33-year-old performer told Entertainment Tonight, adding that the 79-year-old legend is eager to return to work. “The show must go on. She’s just excited to get back to work.”

Cyrus’ comments arrive after months of concern among fans, sparked by Parton’s absence from a September Dollywood event where she revealed via video message that she had been dealing with a kidney stone and infection that required her to stay off the road temporarily. Just weeks later, she postponed a series of Las Vegas performances, citing ongoing “health challenges.”

Parton, known for her openness and humor even when addressing personal matters, later told fans she would be undergoing “a few procedures” on doctors’ orders. While she stressed that she would be unable to rehearse or deliver the level of performance audiences expect, she also assured followers that retirement was not on the horizon. “Don’t worry about me quittin’ the business because God hasn’t said anything about stopping yet,” she wrote in an Instagram message announcing her updated 2026 tour schedule. “I believe He is telling me to slow down right now so I can be ready for more big adventures with all of you.”

Speculation intensified in late fall after Parton’s sister, Freida, posted on Facebook that she had been “up all night praying” for the “9 to 5” singer. She later clarified that her comments had been misinterpreted and that Parton was simply “a little under the weather.”

By November, a source close to the singer sought to ease public concern, telling PEOPLE that Parton was “getting better every day” and surrounded by family and friends at home. True to form, the insider added, the entertainer had already begun decorating for the upcoming holiday season her favorite time of year.

Cyrus’ recent remarks echo that optimism, positioning the younger star as both a supportive family figure and a reassuring public voice during a moment of heightened attention on Parton’s health. For now, both Cyrus and those close to Parton emphasize confidence that the country music icon is steadily recovering and preparing for the busy creative schedule she insists is still ahead.