Dolly Parton donated one million dollars (£733,000) in 2020 to coronavirus research at Vanderbilt University, which helped fund Moderna's Covid-19 vaccine. The country legend has died at the age of 80 following a short battle with cancer, prompting tributes from Taylor Swift, Eminem, Elton John, Sir Paul McCartney and Beyonce.
Philanthropy Behind the Vaccine
US senator for Nevada Jacky Rosen paid tribute to Parton's role in "helping end" the pandemic through her donation. She wrote on X: "I join every American in mourning the incredibly sad news that Dolly Parton has passed away. Dolly was a music icon who inspired so many people and always gave back to her community, from supporting children's literacy through her Imagination Library to helping end the Covid pandemic through her donation for vaccine research."
Parton was approached by her friend Dr Naji Abumrad, from the Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology and Inflammation, who told her of "exciting advancements" towards a vaccine. The singer, who was awarded a Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy for the donation, felt compelled to help because she sensed "something bad" was on its way.
Parton's Own Words on Her Role
In August 2021, she told Absolute Radio Country: "When the pandemic came out, I just felt led to do something because I knew something bad was on the rise and I just kind of wanted to help with that, so I donated to help with that. So, mine was a small part, of course, but I probably get a lot more credit than I deserve, but I was happy to be part of that, and to be able to try to stop something in its tracks that's really just become such a monster for all of us."
In 2021, Parton posted a video of herself getting the Covid-19 jab and encouraged others to do so too, saying: "Don't be such a chicken squat, get out there and get your shot." The singer, who also sang "vaccine, vaccine, vaccine" to the tune of her triple-platinum hit Jolene, said: "I'm old enough to get it, and I'm smart enough to get it. So, I'm very happy that I'm gonna get my Moderna shot today. And I wanted to tell everybody that you should get out there and do it too." She added: "I think we all want to get back to normal, whatever that is, and that would be a great shot in the arm, wouldn't it."
Legacy of Giving
Julie Menin, the speaker of New York City Council, wrote on X: "And who can forget her leadership during Covid, when she funded a critical portion of the early research that went into the production of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine."
It's believed that Parton would likely be a billionaire had she not donated so many millions to charitable causes. She launched the Dollywood Foundation in 1988 - and its Imagination Library alone has funded and distributed over 270 million free books, costing an estimated $500 million.
