When the world needed her, Dolly Parton was known to appear — even in the middle of a once-in-a-lifetime global pandemic.
The queen of country left millions mourning after her death on Aug. 25 at the age of 80
. Beyond the big hair and chart-topping hits, Parton was known as a prolific philanthropist who poured millions into causes ranging from childhood literacy and leukemia to disaster relief and the preservation of bald eagles.One of Parton's most notable contributions to medicine was her funding and staunch support of the COVID-19 vaccine, which she publicly pledged to help fund as early as April 2020.
While the scientific and medical communities raced to develop technology to fight the novel virus that was killing thousands, Parton was loud
and proud, encouraging the public to trust the process — even during a time when political messaging, misinformation and uncertainty left many unsure where to turn and who to trust.
The mRNA vaccine technology she helped fund has since shown promise in treating and preventing diseases beyond COVID-19, including cancer.
How much did Dolly Parton donate to developing the COVID-19 vaccine?
While the ever-evolving game of pop culture telephone has since, in some cases, credited Parton as single-handedly funding the development of the COVID-19 vaccine, her sizeable $1 million contribution accounted for closer to 1% of the funds used, USA TODAY previously reported. However, her support was still considered vital to Moderna's success, according to those who worked on the project.
The New England Journal of Medicine recognized support from several parties, including the Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the Dolly Parton COVID-19 Research Fund, for the development of the Moderna vaccine. Parton's fund was established through Vanderbilt, where she later donated millions more to its pediatric cancer and infectious disease programs.
Parton announced her intentions in an April 2020 X post, saying, "My longtime friend Dr. Naji Abumrad, who’s been involved in research at Vanderbilt for many years, informed me that they were making some exciting advancements towards research of the coronavirus for a cure."
"I am making a donation of $1 million to Vanderbilt towards that research and to encourage people that can afford it to make donations," Parton continued.
Parton formed a friendship with Abumrad, a physician and professor of surgery, after he treated her injuries from an October 2013 car crash. He later said her help was indispensable.
"Her work made it possible to expedite the science behind the testing," Abumrad told the Washington Post in November 2020. "Without a doubt in my mind, her funding made the research toward the vaccine go 10 times faster than it would be without it."
Abumrad isn't the only one who thought so.
"It’s not an exaggeration to say that Dolly has helped save countless lives through her philanthropy," Jeff Balser, MD, PhD, president and CEO of Vanderbilt Health and Dean of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, added in a statement released on Aug. 26.
"I think I’m getting more credit than I deserve," Parton told USA TODAY in February 2021. "But I was just so happy to be a small part, and to plant a seed that would grow into something bigger."
Dolly Parton's impact was bigger than the money
Still, Parton's impact was felt far and wide. Not only through a financial boost, but a public vote of confidence during a time when many people were afraid and didn't know what to believe or who to trust. In March 2021, Parton, clad in a mask, appeared on camera receiving a dose of the vaccine — even singing a few verses of her hit "Jolene" with "vaccine" swapped into the lyrics.
"Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine - I'm begging of you, please don't hesitate," she sang, bringing her usual jovial tone to even one of the most fraught situations of an era.
"I know I'm tryin' to be funny now, but I'm dead serious about the vaccine," she said at the time. "I just wanna say to all of you cowards out there: Don't be such a chicken squat, get out there and get your shot."
Dr. Alex Jahangir, who chaired the Metro Nashville Coronavirus Task Force during the height of the pandemic, told the Nashville Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network, that Parton's donation and example undoubtedly saved lives.
"I'm confident many people received the vaccine because of her, someone they admired and respected and who is a straight shooter, more so than what I or anyone else said publicly. It was a big boost," he said.
Contributing: Ralphie Aversa, McKenzie Sadeghi, Allie Clouse, USA TODAY; Beth Warren, Nashville Tennessean.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Part of Dolly Parton's legacy: How she helped fund a COVID-19 vaccine
