East Tennessee Children's Hospital is changing its name to Dolly Parton Children's Hospital.

“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,” Dolly says in a news release. “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.”

You can watch Dolly make the announcement in a longer video on YouTube.

Dolly Parton's Children's Hospital will continue a 90-year history that starts with a main campus in Knoxville and close to 20 more locations across East Tennessee.

While it's not immediately clear exactly what the change will mean, the hospital promises it's not simply symbolic.

“This is more than a name change,” President and CEO Matt Schaefer says. “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.”

You can find out more at DollyChildrens.org.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.