A Tennessee Children’s Hospital Has Been Renamed After Dolly Parton
#Dolly Parton#Children's Hospital#Knoxville#Tennessee#Philanthropy#Healthcare#Renaming#Pediatric Care
📌 Key Takeaways
East Tennessee Children's Hospital renamed Dolly Parton Children's Hospital
Parton emphasizes world-class care wrapped in kindness and love
Hospital serves 435,000 patients annually with 2,200 employees
Renaming represents strengthening of pediatric healthcare mission
Parton encourages public support through donations
📖 Full Retelling
Country music icon Dolly Parton has partnered with East Tennessee Children's Hospital in Knoxville, which will now be renamed the Dolly Parton Children's Hospital, as announced on February 26, 2026, to honor her commitment to providing world-class care wrapped in kindness and love for children in need. The hospital, which has served the region since 1937, treats approximately 435,000 patients annually with a staff of over 2,200 employees, making it one of the largest employers in the area. 'Being fortunate to have grown up in the mountains of East Tennessee, I learned early on what it means to take care of one another,' Parton stated in her announcement, emphasizing her deep connection to the region and her dedication to children's healthcare. The nearly century-old institution, which has operated as a nonprofit since 1952, is certified as a Comprehensive Regional Pediatric Center and serves as the primary provider for pediatric services in East Tennessee, treating infants, children, and teens regardless of their race, religion, or ability to pay. 'This is more than a name change,' said Matt Schaefer, President and CEO of the renamed hospital, explaining that Parton's support will help strengthen their mission to deliver exceptional pediatric care to every child who walks through their doors.
🏷️ Themes
Philanthropy, Healthcare, Celebrity Impact, Community Support
Tennessee ( , locally ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina to the east, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi to the south, Arkansas to the southwest, and M...
Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives for the public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy tends to be used interchangeably with the term charity. Charity has been noted in Egypt, centuries before the Christian era, having religious origins.
Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman. After achieving success as a songwriter for other artists, Parton's debut album, Hello, I'm Dolly, was released in 1967, commencing a career spanning 60 years and 50 studio alb...
Knoxville is a city in Knox County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. Located on the Tennessee River within the Appalachian Mountains, it is the largest city in the Grand Division of East Tennessee. Knoxville had a population of 190,740 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most popul...
Health care, or healthcare, is the improvement or maintenance of health via the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in people. Health care is delivered by health professionals and allied health fields. Medicine...
A Tennessee Children’s Hospital Has Been Renamed After Dolly Parton "Every child deserves world-class care, wrapped in kindness and love," Parton says of the facility located in Knoxville By Kory Grow Kory Grow Contact Kory Grow on X View all posts by Kory Grow February 26, 2026 The nearly century-old East Tennessee Children’s Hospital will now be known as the Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital . The institution is an independent, not-for-profit pediatric healthcare provider, certified as a Comprehensive Regional Pediatric Center and is state-certified. “Being fortunate to have grown up in the mountains of East Tennessee, I learned early on what it means to take care of one another,” Parton said in a statement. “Every child deserves world-class care, wrapped in kindness and love. I’m so honored to stand alongside this hospital and do my part to help bring more hope, more comfort and more healing to children and families.” The hospital opened in Knoxville in 1937 and serves as the region’s primary provider for pediatric services, according to a fact sheet a rep provided. The institution, which has had nonprofit status since 1952, treats infants, children, and teens “regardless of their race, religion, or ability to pay.” It employs more than 400 physicians and nearly 2,200 employees total, accounting for one of the largest employers in its region, and it reports an average of 435,000 patient encounters each year. It’s one of a few healthcare systems not tied to a hospital that also treats adults. “This is more than a name change,” Matt Schaefer, President and CEO of Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital since 2020, said in a statement. “With Dolly’s support, we are strengthening our mission to deliver world-class pediatric care to families, ensuring every child who walks through our doors receives the treatment they deserve.” In a video announcing why she chose to put her name on the hospital, Parton encouraged people to visit the hospital’s website , which has a link for d...
