TO THE END

Dolly Parton’s Selfless Last-Minute Medical Request Revealed by Sister

The country icon was committed to helping others, even at the end.

Dolly Parton maintained her selflessness and sparkle, even as her health rapidly declined.

The country music legend was willing to allow her medical team to try experimental treatments to help future cancer patients fighting the same disease, Parton’s sister Stella, 77, revealed in an Instagram tribute.

“My sister was one of the most generous, thoughtful and kind people I’ve ever known,” Stella Parton, who is also a country singer, wrote. “What the world saw is exactly who she was, so much so, she told me recently that if there was no hope for her, she would still allow her medical team to try experimental drugs in the hope of helping others in the future.”

Parton died Tuesday at 80 of an unspecified type of cancer. Her nephew Bryan Seaver announced her death via an Instagram video, with her family’s official statement following.

Parton was a longtime champion of medical advancements, donating $1 million to COVID vaccine research in 2020—funding that was key to developing the Moderna vaccine. She also used philanthropy to aid research in childhood pediatric cancer and infectious diseases, cementing her legacy of uplifting and supporting others.

“Dolly loved the world and everyone in it,” Stella wrote. “I would criticize and complain about it and she would laugh and say; ‘shoot, Tedda, we got more important things to worry about than their silly a--es. She was right, and she proved it every day.”

Many A-list celebrities and politicians have expressed immense gratitude for Parton and her work. Spotify streams of her songs have increased by more than 1,200 percent since her death, and users Googled the singer more than sports or the weather on the day of her death. Stella thanked viewers for their support and encouraged people to show the same care her sister committed herself to.

“She left the world a better place by being in it,” Stella wrote. “So let’s follow her example.”

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Dana Herrnstadt Editorial Intern, Obsessed

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