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Taylor Swift is celebrated for her music, but few know about the special bond she shares with a young child and the incredible support she showed her.
Lilah has been diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer.(Photo Credit: X)
Just days before welcoming her second child, William, Katelynn Smoot was soaking in what felt like a perfect life. She and her husband, Tyler, were raising their 18-month-old daughter, Lilah, in North Carolina, cherishing every moment of her dancing and singing along to Taylor Swift or The Wiggles. Growing their family felt like a dream unfolding.
But on February 24, that dream suddenly collapsed. Katelynn, who was about eight centimetres dilated, was told by a doctor, “I’m so sorry to tell you, but Lilah’s in the ER.” She learned that Lilah had suffered a seizure at home and was rushed to the emergency room. A scan revealed a mass on her brain. While surgery could wait because the tumor wasn’t causing pressure or swelling, the fear hit instantly.
Later that day, Lilah was transferred to a children’s hospital for an MRI. The scan confirmed the worst: a stage 4 brain tumor. “At first, we tried to stay hopeful,” Katelynn tells PEOPLE. “We thought maybe she’d have surgery and everything would be fine.”
Surgery and a Rare Diagnosis
On March 3, Lilah underwent surgery and the doctors successfully removed the tumor. But the relief was short-lived. The final diagnosis came over the phone: ATRT , atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor, one of the rarest and most aggressive childhood brain cancers.
“When the pathology confirmed it was one of the most aggressive tumors, we just cried. We cried for three days straight,” Katelynn says. With both families surrounding them, Katelynn and Tyler relied on support systems but continued to face moments of quiet fear.“In the quiet moments, just the two of us, I remember looking at my husband and saying, ‘I just don’t want her to die.’ “
The Harsh Reality of Treatment
Doctors outlined a grueling treatment plan- two rounds of induction chemotherapy, three rounds of high-dose chemo with stem cell rescue and six weeks of proton radiation. Specialists across the nation confirmed that this was the only effective protocol for ATRT.
“With Lilah’s cancer, if you don’t treat it, there’s a 100 percent chance she’s going to die,” Katelynn says. “Because it’s so rare, there aren’t many treatment options — there’s really only one protocol that’s been used for the past 25 years.”
Katelynn and Tyler took a step back from work to care for Lilah full-time while also managing life with newborn William.
Turning to Social Media for Support and Awareness
To process the whirlwind of emotions, Katelynn began documenting their journey on TikTok and Instagram. Initially hesitant, she realised her posts could help other parents facing similar challenges.
“That’s when I realised I wasn’t just sharing for myself anymore — I was doing it to raise awareness,” she says. “Pediatric cancer is so real. It’s not as rare as people think. And brain tumors just surpassed leukemia as the number one cause of cancer-related death in children.”
The Viral Video That Reached Taylor Swift
One day, while playing Swift’s new album Life of a Showgirl, Lilah danced and pointed at the screen: “Mom, that’s Taylor Swift.”
Katelynn showed her the Fortnite video and Lilah declared mid-dance,“That’s my friend.” Katelynn laughed, realising how genuine her daughter’s words were. She posted the clip online, not expecting anything to come of it. But the video went viral and Swift noticed.
A Superstar’s Generosity
A few days later, Tyler called from the airport saying, “Taylor Swift just donated us $100,000.”
At first, Katelynn thought it was a joke. “For about 30 minutes, we questioned if it was real. But then we saw it come through on the back end of GoFundMe, along with a message that said, ‘Sending you the biggest hug to my friend Lilah.’ That’s when I knew Taylor really saw the video — and she meant it,” Katelynn says.
The Ripple Effect of Swift’s Kindness
The donation sparked a wave of generosity from Swift’s fanbase, who nearly doubled the contribution on GoFundMe.
“Her donation started this, and the Swifties took it and ran,” Katelynn says. “I feel like I can’t say thank you enough. Even if someone didn’t donate — just seeing our story makes us feel seen.”
Katelynn emphasises the importance of raising awareness for pediatric cancer and ATRT.
Hospital Moves and Early Challenges
Lilah began treatment at Brenner Children’s Hospital in Winston-Salem, later transferring to Duke Children’s Hospital in Durham for most of her chemotherapy. When proton radiation became necessary, the family temporarily relocated to Philadelphia, where she received care at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Despite the hardships, Lilah remained strong and happy.
A Connection Beyond Fame
Lilah didn’t fully understand the concept of fundraising, but she clearly understood friendship. While recording a thank-you message, she saw Taylor Swift on the iPad and said that Taylor was her friend. Katelynn reassured her, telling her that Taylor Swift really was her friend, and added that she loved the way her daughter saw it.
Yatamanyu Narain is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for all things entertainment. Whether he’s breaking the latest Bollywood news or chatting with rising stars in the OTT world, he’s always on the hun…Read More
Yatamanyu Narain is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for all things entertainment. Whether he’s breaking the latest Bollywood news or chatting with rising stars in the OTT world, he’s always on the hun… Read More
October 23, 2025, 18:55 IST
