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East Tennessee Children's Hospital, which has been named after Dolly Parton, is praising her contributions to the institution

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• According to East Tennessee Children's Hospital, the country legend donated "generational and transformational" amounts of money to the infirmary

• In February, Parton announced that the healthcare center was being renamed to Dolly Parton Children's Hospital

Dolly Partonis being praised for her generous contributions to East Tennessee Children's hospital, which is now named after her.

Following news that the health center would be renamedin honor of the country legend as Dolly Parton's Children's Hospital, its president and chief executive officer Matt Schaefer opened up about the "surreal moment" of receiving the "Jolene" hitmaker's donation.

In the interview withChief Healthcare Executiveon Monday, March 30, Schaefer praised Parton's "incredibly disarming personality."

"It was truly humbling, and to hear her, in her own words, talk about the importance of this to her, to her community, to this organization, and to children, was super affirming," he said of meeting Parton, 80.

Schaefer spoke about how, with the "9 to 5" artist's donation, he hoped to expand the hospital's roster of doctors, invest in new programs and technology and increase fundraising.

"I think anytime you have someone of her stature, someone of her standing, certainly in this region, across the United States, across the world, honestly, and to have the halo effect of everything she stood for in her life, including her love for children in particular, it just is fantastic for the future of our mission," he said of Parton.

While Schaefer played coy when it came to revealing the amount Parton donated, he said the sum was "generational and transformational."

"What I can tell you is that she has made a generational and transformational commitment to Children's and its mission, and that commitment is something that goes beyond our wildest expectations, that is beyond generous, and will be a lifeline for this mission for now and for years to come," he said.

Schaefer added, "And we're excited about and humbled by her willingness to do so."

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He noted that having the hospital renamed after her will "allow them to tell a broader story about the depth and breadth of services here, to imagine how we can continue to expand those services, and it accelerates how we should think about what our responsibility is to the patients and families that trust us today and invariably will trust us tomorrow."

The partnership with Parton will "amplify and accelerate some of those initiatives in a way that we could not have done otherwise without that type of support and backing and awareness across the region, for providers, for clinicians, for patients, for families and for referring providers," added Schaefer.

In February, Partonshared an Instagram Reelannouncing that the East Tennessee Children's Hospital hasofficially been renamed the Dolly Parton Children's Hospital.

In a video message and collaborative post with theTodayshow and the official hospital page, she said, "I've always believed that every child deserves a fair chance to grow up healthy, hopeful and surrounded with love. That belief is what brought me together with the incredible folks at East Tennessee Children's Hospital."

Parton continued, "For nearly 90 years, their teams have provided compassionate and talented care. They see children not just as patients, but as precious lives. Each with a story, and a future. I am so excited to share, East Tennessee Children's Hospital is becoming ... guess what? Dolly Parton Children's Hospital. Yay!"

"Together, we're committed to strengthening our relationship where world class care and a caring heart go hand in hand for children across East Tennessee and beyond. And I hope that you'll join me in supporting this work," she said.

Parton concluded by telling fans that she will need the public's help.

"I can't do it all myself! I'm going to need you. So when we come together for our children, there's no limit to what we can do. To learn more or to get involved, visitDollyChildrens.org," she said.

Read the original article onPeople

Jessie Jones was a playwright and actress with performances in TV shows throughout the '80s and '90s

NEED TO KNOW

• She died on March 20 at age 75 after a "long illness"

• "Jessie was an unbelievably talented and kind woman, and knowing her life's work will continue bringing laughter to theaters around the world brings great solace," writing partner Jamie Wooten says

Jessie Jones, an actress and playwright with performances in several TV shows likeMurphy BrownandPerfect Strangers, has died at age 75.

Jones died on March 20 after a "long illness," according to an onlineobituarywritten by her creative partner Jamie Wooten.

One-third of herJones Hope Wooten comedy trio, Wooten also confirmed the news to PEOPLE on Wednesday, April 1. "Jessie was an unbelievably talented and kind woman, and knowing her life's work will continue — bringing laughter to theaters around the world — brings great solace," Wooten says in a statement.

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Jones was born in the panhandle of Texas in 1950, before she won an essay/speech contest in high school that brought her to Washington, D.C. After attending the University of Texas at Austin, Jones got more involved in the performance arts, eventually landing multiple TV guest roles in the '80s and '90s.

Among her many roles, she appeared inNight Court,Newhart,Grace Under Fire,Perfect Strangers,Who's the BossandMelrose Place. She also marked performances in TV films likeThe Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering MomandEverybody's Baby: The Rescue of Baby Jessica.

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InMurphy Brown's third season, Jones memorably played a woman named Mrs. Betty Hooley who is randomly interviewed by Murphy (Candice Bergen) before things go south. She also made multiple appearances in the 1998 WB sitcomYou're the One, as well the 1995 ABC comedyFudge.

On the comedy-writing side of things, Jones "found her most enduring, and certainly most explosive, success," per her obituary. She co-created the off-Broadway playDearly Departedbefore it toured nationwide. She also co-authored the screenplay version ofKingdom Come,starring Whoopi Goldberg and LL Cool J. Her writing work also included installments ofFor Your Loveand the children's seriesTeacher's Pet.

Jones notably co-wrote several plays with Wooten and Nicholas Hope. Their work included projects such asVelvet Cake War,Christmas BellesandThe Savannah Sipping Society.

Wooten described her as "the most-produced female playwright in America," having had her plays performed "well over 100,000 times on stages all over the world."

"Jessie Jones did something amazing with her one wild and precious life: She made the world laugh," her obituary reads. "What a legacy and gift to leave behind to a world that needs that now more than ever."

She is survived by her sisters Ellen Jones (husband Jim McCarthy) and Laura Jones; niece Margaret McCarthy; nephews Tommy McCarthy, Todd Hyso (Jeri Ann) and Paul Hyso (Meri Dawn); and multiple grand-nieces, cousins and friends.

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STOCKHOLM (AP) — Sweden's prime minister said Wednesday that his center-right party would allow a rival with far-right roots to enter the government if the country's election this year produces a right-wing majority, taking a further decisive step to bring it into the political mainstream.

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has run Sweden since 2022 at the helm of a three-party center-right coalition thatrelies on supportfrom the Sweden Democrats for a parliamentary majority but doesn't give it seats in the Cabinet.

The Sweden Democrats were founded in the 1980s by people who had been active in right-wing extremist groups, including neo-Nazis. They toned down their rhetoric and expelled openly racist members under Jimmie Åkesson, who has led them since 2005.

He oversaw their growth from a marginal movement to Sweden's second-biggest party, with 20.5% of the vote inthe 2022 election— ahead of all its rivals on the right, including Kristersson's conservative Moderate Party. The party has moved toward the mainstream but retains a hard line on immigration. Its rise echoes that of parties on the populist right in many other European countries.

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As a Sept. 13 parliamentary election approaches, center-right parties have been reconsidering their reluctance to bring the Sweden Democrats into government directly. Last month, the Liberals, a junior partner in the government, opened up to accepting them in a future Cabinet.

Kristersson cited that "courageous decision" as a game-changer as he and Åkesson held a joint news conference Wednesday to announce that the prime minister's Moderates would allow the Sweden Democrats into a future government, Swedish news agency TT reported.

Kristersson will be the candidate for prime minister, even if the Sweden Democrats end up as the stronger party, and the Sweden Democrats would get significant responsibility for migration issues.

"In the most difficult situation since World War II, Sweden cannot do without an effective government," Kristersson said, an apparent allusion to crises including the Iran war and Russia's war in Ukraine.