Dolly Parton shares her vision for a kinder post-COVID world after helping fund promising vaccine
Dolly Parton. (Ian Gavan/Getty)
Dolly Parton has said she believes the coronavirus pandemic will leave us all better people, after giving $1 million to help fund a promising COVID vaccine.
Parton made a splash last week as she was revealed to have indirectly backed the Moderna coronavirus vaccine candidate, which trials have found to be 94.5 per cent effective.
In an interview with the The Sunday Times, the gay icon spoke about life after the pandemic, and said: “When life kinda gets back to normal, I’m thinking we’re going to be better people.
“We’re gonna try a little harder. I have to believe that. I think we’ll be better after this is all over.
“I know a lot of people that don’t have faith. They’re the ones having the hardest time because you’ve got to believe in something bigger than yourself or you really do have problems.”
Last week in an appearance on The One Show, Parton discussed her $1 million donation to set up the Dolly Parton COVID-19 Research Fund at Nashville’s Vanderbilt University Medical Center, which contributed to the development of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine.
She explained that until last week, she had no idea that her money had gone towards the vaccine.
Dolly Parton said: “I heard [about the vaccine] yesterday and I didn’t realise it was part of the programme that I was part of, so I feel very honoured and proud.
“Actually, when the pandemic started, many months ago, I just felt led to put some money into a programme at Vanderbilt Hospital, it’s a wonderful hospital here. It’s been so good to me and my family over the years.
“I donated a $1 million, and they called it the Dolly Parton COVID Fund. Out of that, they actually got more money, and it just started growing, and they were developing all of these wonderful things.
“I just found out today actually that it was for real, and that it was part of the programme we helped start.
“I’m sure many, many millions of dollars from many people went into that, but 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. Lord knows, we need it!”
