Dolly Parton addresses her big donation that led to a coronavirus vaccine: 'I just wanted it to do good'

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Dolly Parton spoke out after fans credited her with helping to cure the coronavirus. 

In April, Parton shared that she donated $1 million to research being done at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. 

According to the New England Journal of Medicine, the donation made by Parton and the work done by researchers at Vanderbilt during trial phases directly led to Moderna announcing it had produced a coronavirus vaccine that is nearly 95% effective.

The country singer appeared on Tuesday’s episode of the “Today” show where she was asked about going viral for her part in helping get the potentially viable vaccine developed. 

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She noted that she hadn’t yet had a chance to read up on the vaccine but knew that people had given her partial credit for its development. However, the 74-year-old remained humble, telling the hosts that she’s just glad some good came out of her donation.

“I’m just happy that anything I do can help somebody else,” she told the hosts. “When I donated the money to the COVID[-19] fund I just wanted it to do good and evidently, it is! Let’s just hope we can find a cure real soon.”

According to the BBC, Parton also appeared on “The One Show” in the U.K. where she addressed the vaccine. 

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"I'm sure many millions of dollars from many people went into that," she told the hosts. “But I just felt so proud to have been part of that little seed money that will hopefully grow into something great and help to heal this world."

She added: "I'm a very proud girl today to know I had anything at all to do with something that's going to help us through this crazy pandemic.”

Dolly Parton addressed her role in helping develop a coronavirus vaccine. (Wade Payne/Invision/AP, File)

News that Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine candidate proved 94.5% effective in preventing the novel coronavirus in Phase 3 clinical trial was applauded by medical experts Monday, with Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, for instance, calling the data “striking.”

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The results come after the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer announced last week that its coronavirus vaccine candidate showed over 90% efficacy, also in Phase 3. 

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Both vaccines require approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before they can be distributed for widespread use. If the FDA allows emergency use of Moderna’s or Pfizer’s candidate, there will be limited, rationed supplies before the end of the year.

Fox News' Madeline Farber contributed to this report.