Dolly Parton donates $1 million to VUMC

Tennessee's mountain angel Dolly Parton announced another $1 million donation to Vanderbilt University Medical Center on Wednesday.

Why it matters: Parton's latest gift will go toward the study of pediatric infectious diseases.

• "No child should ever have to suffer, and I'm willing to do my part to try and keep as many of them as I can as healthy and safe as possible," Parton said.

Flashback: Parton has supported VUMC for years. In April 2020, she gave $1 million to support COVID-19 research.

• That donation powered the work behind Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine and other treatments.
• Parton previously donated to the pediatric cancer program at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt.

Between the lines: Parton dedicated multiple VUMC donations to her friend Naji Abumrad, a VUMC doctor and professor of surgery.

The bottom line: "Dolly's previous support to infectious disease research, and also our pediatric cancer program, has already saved countless lives," VUMC president and CEO Jeff Balser said in a statement.

• "This new gift will bolster our defenses against future threats to the safety of this region and society as a whole."