Dolly Parton helped fund a COVID vaccine. She is also shocked

Who made Dolly Parton find the cure for COVID-19 on her 2020 bingo card?

According to multiple reports, recent findings from the New England Journal of Medicine identified the country music legend as a sponsor of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine after donating to Vanderbilt University’s Coronavirus Research Fund earlier this year. year.

And Parton seems as surprised as anyone about his role in the scientific breakthrough.

“Yeah, that’s what I understand this morning,” she told NBC’s “Today” Tuesday when asked about the buzz surrounding her donation. “I haven’t read enough. They told me that just before going on the air, they might ask me about it.

“I’m just happy that whatever I do could help someone else, and when I donated money to the COVID fund, I just wanted it to feel good, and obviously it does. . Let’s just hope we find a cure soon.

In April, Parton donated $ 1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in honor of his longtime friend, Dr. Naji N. Abumrad, professor of surgery at Nashville College. At the time, VUMC’s COVID-19 relief efforts were aimed at improving treatment for coronavirus patients until a vaccine was available.

Now, it looks like at least part of Parton’s generous gift went to Moderna, who this week dubbed their COVID-19 vaccine 95% effective, according to preliminary data from tests conducted by the biotech giant.

Moderna is one of two very successful vaccines that experts say could be distributed as early as the end of this year.

“The results from Pfizer, and now Moderna, encourage me a lot,” said Dr Buddy Creech, director of the vaccine research program at VUMC.

“Efficacy levels are exceeding our expectations, which gives us strong hope that we will see the end of the pandemic once widespread immunization is possible.”

Understandably, Parton fans were ecstatic to hear about his latest philanthropic act, quickly flooding Twitter with praise for the “Holly Dolly Christmas” artist and Certified National Treasure.

“Yes, knowing that Dolly Parton partially funded a vaccine makes me even more confident,” tweeted drag artist Courtney Conquers.

“Someone said that because Dolly Parton funded the covid cure, we should sing ‘vaccine’ to the tune of ‘Jolene’ and although I can’t find your tweet just know that’s ALL I did this morning, ”Camilla Blackett tweeted.

And Parton’s VUMC donation isn’t the only effort she’s made to fight the COVID blues. Earlier this year, the Grammy winner joined the celebrity crusade to entertain quarantined families by reading children’s books aloud from the safety of their homes.

Parton’s “Goodnight With Dolly” series featured the icon telling bedtime stories in her pajamas every Thursday for 10 weeks as part of her Imagination Library’s ongoing mission to make literature accessible to children around the world.

See more reactions to Parton’s potentially life-saving contribution to coronavirus research below.