Taylor Swift donates $100K to young Swiftie battling cancer
What's the story
In a heartwarming gesture, pop sensation Taylor Swift has donated $100,000 to the family of a two-year-old girl named Lilah who is battling stage 4 brain cancer. The donation was made through GoFundMe on Friday, October 17. Lilah's mother, Katelynn Smoot, had been sharing her daughter's story online for months and fundraising for her treatment since March.
Viral video
Lilah called Swift her 'friend'
Swift's involvement in the fundraising effort started when Smoot shared a video on TikTok titled "Stand with Lilah." In the video, Lilah was seen calling Swift her "friend" while watching a video of the singer on an iPad. The caption read, "This might be my fault. Also, Lilah's name was originally going to be Willow." "I listened to Taylor my whole pregnancy and then birthed a mini Swiftie."
Family reaction
Smoot reacted to the generous donation
Swift's $100,000 contribution helped raise the total donations $60,000 beyond Smoot's original goal. The singer wrote underneath the donation, "Sending the biggest hug to my friend, Lilah! Love, Taylor." In a video shared on Friday, Smoot expressed her gratitude, "Thank you so so much @taylorswift. I am in shock." The TikTok clip featured her and Lilah dancing to Swift's new song The Fate of Ophelia.
Medical condition
Lilah has rare form of brain cancer
Lilah has a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer, with only 58 known cases reported in the US last year. Even after surgery to remove a brain mass, she still faces three months of chemotherapy, three months of stem cell treatment, and some proton radiation.