William Shatner and his daughter, Melanie Shatner Gretsch, are set to speak at the 2026 End Well Summit in Los Angeles on November 12. They will share their personal journeys of surviving Stage 4 cancer and the impact those experiences have had on their views about life, resilience, and mortality. Their conversation, moderated by Yvette Nicole Brown, will focus on how confronting life-threatening illness together deepened their bond and opened up essential but difficult family discussions.

Both William and Melanie faced their own battles with advanced cancer, with William surviving Stage 4 melanoma and Melanie diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer in 2022. Their shared experience inspired them to start a weekly video podcast called No Time But Now, which addresses themes of health, longevity, and the urgency of having meaningful conversations about life and what matters most. William’s recent book, Wisdom & Worries: Reflections on Life, Death, and Everything in Between, was released on October 27, 2026, further exploring these topics.

The End Well Summit is hosted by the nonprofit End Well, founded by Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider in 2017, which aims to transform how society talks about and plans for serious illness, caregiving, grief, and end-of-life issues. The organization partners with voices across healthcare, entertainment, and advocacy to encourage openness about life’s toughest transitions. The 2026 event will feature a range of distinguished speakers such as former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy and journalist Jamie Yuccas, making it a key platform for advancing dialogue on mortality and resilience.

Through their participation, William and Melanie hope to emphasize the importance of seizing the present moment to communicate openly with loved ones. Their message underlines how facing terminal illness can change priorities and inspire candid discussions about what truly matters in life. Their story aligns with End Well’s mission to normalize conversations around death and dying as part of living well, encouraging attendees and listeners to embrace honest dialogue about the finite nature of time.