Dolly Parton is reacting to news that the $1 million she donated to Vanderbilt University Medical Center's coronavirus research fund back in April has helped fund Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine.
While appearing as a guest on Tuesday's Today, the 74-year-old country superstar opened up about how her dollars are making a real difference.
"I'm just happy that anything I do can help somebody else," Parton said. "When I donated the money to the COVID fund, I just wanted it to do good and evidently, it is! Let’s just hope we can find a cure real soon."
Parton added that she felt "very honored and proud" to be included in what could be an essential treatment for COVID-19 in another interview with BBC One's The One Show on Tuesday.
"I just felt so proud to have been part of that little seed money that will hopefully grow into something great and help to heal this world," she shared. "I'm a very proud girl today to know I had anything at all to do with something that's going to help us through this crazy pandemic."
According to CNN, early data from Moderna reveals that the company's vaccine is 94.5% effective against the coronavirus, becoming only the second coronavirus vaccine with a stunningly high success rate this week. The outlet reports that Parton's name appears in the preliminary report on the vaccine among sponsors like the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which Dr. Anthony Fauci heads, and Emory University.
Parton's contribution was first revealed back in April. At the time, the "9 to 5" singer released a statement about her donation on Instagram.
"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," the statement read. "I am making a donation of $1 million to Vanderbilt towards that research and to encourage people that can afford it to make donations. Keep the faith, Dolly."
In response, Vanderbilt University Medical Center released their own statement, which read, "We are incredibly grateful to Dolly (@DollyParton) for believing in our doctors and researchers as we work hard to fight COVID-19."
Hear more on Parton in the video below.
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