The 'Jolene' hitmaker is proud of her involvement in possibly ending the Covid-19 pandemic as she has helped fund research on a promising new Covid-19 vaccine.
- Nov 18, 2020
AceShowbiz - Country superstar Dolly Parton is "happy" to have played a part in the race for a coronavirus vaccine.
Back in April (20), the "9 to 5" hitmaker announced she was donating $1 million (£755,000) to help medical experts at Nashville, Tennessee's private research school Vanderbilt University find a cure for COVID-19, and it has now been revealed they collaborated with officials at U.S. pharmaceuticals firm Moderna, who announced their promising new vaccine on Monday (16Nov20).
The two-dose mRNA-1273 shot is said to be 95 per cent effective in preventing cases of COVID-19, according to results from late phase three trials, and Parton is proud her money helped to facilitate the key research.
The singer learned of her involvement in the vaccine's development on Tuesday, just before appearing on U.S. breakfast show "Today", and she's thrilled.
"I'm just happy that anything I do can help somebody else," she said. "When I donated the money to the COVID (research) fund I just wanted it to do good, and evidently, it is, and let's just hope we find a cure real soon."
In a new research paper on the vaccine published in the New England Medical Journal, the "9 to 5" singer's contribution is acknowledged, with the "Dolly Parton Covid-19 Research Fund" credited in disclosure notes.
Announcing her donation to vaccine research in April, the "9 to 5" singer wrote 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."
"I am making a donation of $1 million to Vanderbilt towards that research and to encourage people that can afford it to make donations."
Moderna's Covid-19 vaccine is now awaiting final approval from medical officials in the U.S. and around the world - and if certified as safe could begin being rolled out as early as next month.
Parton's donation was praised by fellow celebrities as Reese Witherspoon gushed, "Dolly, you never cease to amaze me with your generosity and your incredible spirit!!"
"earth angel," remarked singer Kacey Musgraves and Goldie Hawn noted, "Angel that you are."
