“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,” Parton said in a statement.
Once again, Dolly Parton has donated a huge sum of money for a good cause.
The country music legend has made a $1 million donation to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Tennessee. According to TODAY, the money will be used to prevent and treat infections in children.
"Ongoing research in the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases includes understanding how viruses and bacteria cause disease, understanding and preventing resistance to antibiotics, preventing and treating infections, diagnosing and treating infections in children with cancer, and research to define the impact of childhood infections throughout the world," a release from VUMC reads.
“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,” Parton said in a statement.
This is not the first time Parton has made such a huge donation. In 2020, the Jolene singer donated to VUMC to fund research that helped develop the COVID-19 vaccine.
"Parton made a previous $1 million gift to VUMC 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," the statement read.
The hospital is grateful to Parton for her donation. “We are deeply honored by Dolly’s contribution to our research mission,” said Mark Denison, MD, professor of Pediatrics and director of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. “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.”
“Dolly’s previous support to infectious disease research, and also our pediatric cancer program, has already saved countless lives,” said Jeff Balser, president, and CEO of VUMC and dean of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, said in a statement. “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.”
Parton is not just a celebrity but is also a philanthropist. In 2016, her Dollywood Foundation donated $1,000 per month to families impacted by wildfires in Tennessee, continuing those payments for six months. Then, in 1995, she founded Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a literacy program that has donated more than 100 million children’s books.
Why does she do this? In 2021, she told PEOPLE, "I'm kind of addicted to the feeling of giving. Knowing that I'm doing something good for someone else."
Speaking of the discomfort of being spoken about and recognized for her philanthropy, she added, "But I don't want to be worshiped, because there's a scripture in my Bible that talks about idol worship. And I see that happening all the time with movie stars and these celebrities. People literally worship them more than they worship God. And I just — I cringe at it sometimes."
"But if I can set an example, then that's great," she said.
References:
https://people.com/country/dolly-parton-people-of-the-year-2021-giving-back-being-boss/
Cover Image Source: VUMC Reporter
