Stella Parton says her sister Dolly was willing to try experimental cancer drugs even if her own prospects were poor, in the hope that the treatment could help future patients. The claim, shared shortly after Dolly Parton’s reported death aged 80, highlights the singer’s longstanding public image as a philanthropist and supporter of medical research.

In an Instagram tribute, Stella described Dolly as generous and said she had discussed allowing her medical team to test experimental options. The article also notes Dolly’s $1 million donation to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 2020, which supported early Moderna coronavirus-vaccine research, alongside her literacy charities, including Imagination Library and the Dollywood Foundation.