A North Carolina family is expressing deep gratitude after American pop star Taylor Swift donated $100,000 to help their two-year-old daughter, Lilah, who is battling a rare and aggressive brain cancer.
The young girl’s mother, Katelynn Smoot, shared that her daughter was diagnosed with Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumor (ATRT) — a stage four brain tumor — just hours before she gave birth to her second child, William.
On February 24, while Katelynn was in labor and about eight centimeters dilated, doctors entered her delivery room with heartbreaking news: her 18-month-old daughter, Lilah, had suffered a seizure and was rushed to the emergency room. Scans later revealed a mass on her brain, which was confirmed to be a stage four tumor after an MRI.
“At first, we tried to stay hopeful. We thought maybe she’d have surgery and everything would be fine,” Katelynn said.
@standwithlilah Cancer sucks. #childhoodcancerawareness #standwithlilah #braincancerawareness #cancer #cancersucks #toddler #momlife ♬ original sound – Jwlpiano_🎹
Lilah underwent surgery on March 3, and doctors were able to remove the entire tumor. However, the pathology results confirmed the family’s worst fears — the mass was ATRT, one of the rarest and most aggressive childhood cancers.
“When the pathology confirmed it was one of the most aggressive tumors, we just cried for three days straight,” Katelynn recalled.
The Smoot family immediately began a long treatment journey that included rounds of chemotherapy and proton radiation. Both parents left work to care for Lilah full-time while also adjusting to life with a newborn.
Despite the challenges, Lilah’s positive spirit has remained strong. “She’s always been so happy — even as a baby, she had the best temperament,” Katelynn said.
To cope with the emotional toll, Katelynn began documenting their story on TikTok and Instagram. What started as a way to process her feelings soon turned into a source of hope and awareness for other families dealing with pediatric cancer.
@standwithlilah I am not strong. I am not okay. I just do a good job of hiding it. #childhoodcancer #standwithlilah #atrt #childhoodcancerawareness #christiantiktok ♬ fade into you instrumental – instrumentalsoundds
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Then, an unexpected moment changed everything. One day, while listening to Taylor Swift’s new album Life of a Showgirl, Lilah smiled and began to dance, calling the singer “my friend.” Katelynn posted the adorable clip online, and it quickly went viral.
A few days later, the family received an emotional surprise — Taylor Swift had seen the video and donated $100,000 to their GoFundMe page.
“At first, I thought it was a joke,” Katelynn said. “But then we saw the message attached: ‘Sending you the biggest hug to my friend Lilah.’ That’s when I knew Taylor really saw the video — and she meant it.”
Since Swift’s contribution, fans from around the world — known as “Swifties” — have joined in, donating to help the family and spreading awareness about pediatric brain cancer.
“The donation helps us so much, but what means even more is knowing that she cared enough to watch, to send that message, to show kindness,” Katelynn said.
As Lilah continues treatment, her parents are focusing on creating happy memories together. “To be realistic, my dream is that she has a joyful life — no matter how short or long it might be,” Katelynn said.
