Let’s admit it…we don’t deserve Dolly Parton.

Once again, Dolly proved that she’s the best person ever by making a million dollar donation to the Monroe Carell Jr Children’s hospital – part of the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee.

Dolly has been a long time supporter of the hospital, and this latest donation is to support pediatric infectious disease research. This money has the potential to accelerate the progress in researching, and treating life-threatening diseases that affect children.

Dolly says “I love all children. No child should ever have to suffer, and I’m willing to do my part to try and keep as many of them as I can as healthy and safe as possible.”

Talking about the donation, Mark Denison, MD, professor of Pediatrics and director of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases says, “We are deeply honored by Dolly’s contribution to our research mission. For over 40 years our division has been a national and international leader in studies for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of life-threatening infections, and this gift will accelerate our work and support new ideas.”

Of course many remember Dolly’s previous $1 million donation to Vanderbilt in April 2020 in honor of her longtime friend, Naji Abumrad, MD, professor of Surgery, to increase scientific knowledge and advance the battle against COVID-19 by supporting research teams working urgently to perfect treatments and cures.    

Jeff Balser, MD, PhD, President and CEO of VUMC and Dean of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine says “Dolly’s previous support to infectious disease research, and also our pediatric cancer program, has already saved countless lives. This new gift will bolster our defenses against future threats to the safety of this region and society as a whole. It speaks volumes about her passion for people, and we couldn’t be more thankful.”

For decades now Dolly and her Dollywood Foundation has been trying to make the world a better place through literacy programs, raising money for the American Red Cross, her contributions to the medical industry, and also responding to crisis when they happen like the Great Smoky Mountain wildfires in 2016 and so much more.

Once again…we don’t deserve Dolly Parton, she’s too good for us.

Headline Photo Credit: Ian Gavan/Getty Images
Additional Photo Courtesy of Dolly Parton