Pam made a brief appearance in the season 12 premiere, with a different appearance as a result of plastic surgery (which also doubled as an explanation for Margaret Michaels playing the role, rather than Victoria Principal). She tells her brother Cliff that she is happy in her new life and plans to marry her doctor (Josef Rainer). Later, after Cliff leaves, her doctor asks why she didn't tell Cliff that she has a terminal disease and only has a year to live. This was the character's final appearance in the series, although Pam was not immediately declared dead on the show.