Dolly Parton Visits Children’s Hospital as Cancer Survivor Niece is Honored
Dolly Parton joined her niece Hannah Dennison to visit the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital located at Nashville's Vanderbilt medical center on Thursday (May 17). Dennison, a cancer survivor, was being honored at the dedication of the hospital’s newly named Hannah Dennison Butterfly Garden.
Parton's niece, who will turn 30 on Sunday, was treated at the hospital for leukemia as a young child. Parton joined several other members of the family at the dedication to acknowledge the honor, and the singer addressed the audience with some words about Hannah's journey.
"We’re so happy to have our Hannah,” she said, according to the Tennessean. "For five years, we didn’t know exactly if we’d be keeping her or not. But Hannah stands here as our ‘Chemo Hero.’”
Parton actually has written a song inspired by her niece that's called just that: “Chemo Hero” is dedicated to kids who fight cancer and their caregivers. The song is included on Parton’s 2017 children’s album I Believe in You.
Upon the release of that album last fall, Parton donated $1 million to the children's hospital that took such good care of her niece.
See Where Dolly Parton Falls on the List of Country's Most Powerful Women