After Years Of Helping Kids, Dolly Parton Now Has A Children’s Hospital In Her Name

March 2, 2026

For decades, Dolly Parton has quietly used her success to open doors for children — sending them books, funding research, and stepping in when families need help most.

Now, that lifelong commitment has taken on a new and deeply personal form.

The East Tennessee Children’s Hospital has officially been renamed Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital, honoring her support of pediatric health care in her home state.

Dolly Parton / Knoxville Chamber

In a video announcement, Parton shared why helping children has always been close to her heart:

“Ever since I’ve been in a position to do my part, to help others, I have tried to do just that. Especially when children and families need it most,” she said.

“I’ve always believed that every child deserves a fair chance to grow up healthy, hopeful and surrounded with love.”

Her impact on young lives stretches far beyond one hospital. Through her Imagination Library, she helps send 3 million free books every month to children whose families sign up. She also donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, supporting research that helped produce the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Her foundation continues to provide scholarships and disaster relief efforts as well.

While hospital leaders did not disclose the amount of her most recent gift, they made it clear that its influence will be long-lasting.

Matt Schaefer, the hospital’s president and CEO, said her support will ensure “every child who walks through our doors receives the treatment they deserve.”

Adam Cook, the hospital’s chief development and public affairs officer, called it “a generational collaboration that will transform pediatric care in this region,” adding that it “will positively impact patients and families for decades to come.”

The hospital, which opened in 1937, has long maintained an open-door policy — pledging that no child will be denied care based on race, religion, or a family’s ability to pay. It serves families through more than 20 locations across eastern Tennessee.

Parton said she’s honored to support the hospital’s doctors, nurses, and team members — and invited others to join her.

“I can’t do it all myself,” she said.

For a woman who has spent her life investing in children’s futures, having her name on a hospital may be one of her most meaningful legacies yet.