Dolly Parton is donating $1 million U.S. to pediatric infectious disease research.
Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville announced the latest gift from the country legend on Wednesday.
“No child should ever have to suffer,” said Parton, in a release. “I’m willing to do my part to try and keep as many of them as I can as healthy and safe as possible.”
The money will go to ongoing research at Vanderbilt into understanding how viruses and bacteria cause disease, preventing antibiotic resistance, preventing and treating infections, diagnosing and treating infections in children with cancer, and research into the impact of childhood infections throughout the world.
In 2020, Parton provided $1 million in funding to Vanderbilt for its COVID vaccine research – which contributed to the development of the Moderna vaccine – and she previously donated to Vanderbilt’s pediatric cancer program.
“This new gift will bolster our defences against future threats to the safety of this region and society as a whole,” said Dr. Jeff Balser, president and CEO of Vanderbilt University Medical Center and dean of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, in a release. “It speaks volumes about her passion for people.”