Swifties shower 13-year-old Bucks County girl with love after brain cancer diagnosis
The Brief
13-year-old Lily Tomlinson was diagnosed with DIGP, a terminal brain cancer.
Taylor Swift fans found out on social media and began to send gifts.
Lily is hoping to meet Taylor Swift.
PIPERSVILLE, Pa. - The ultimate Taylor Swift fan is receiving a lot of love from other Swifties in her time of need. Lily Tomlinson is living with terminal cancer and her fellow Taylor Swift fans are making sure the Bucks County teen feels the outpouring support from around the country.
The backstory
Doctors diagnosed Lily Tomlinson in December of last year with DIPG, which is a terminal brain cancer. She finished radiation at Children's Hospital Of Philadelphia and is now at home in Bucks County. Lily and her mom are Taylor Swift fans. Swifties learned of Lily and have surrounded her with gifts and love.
What they're saying
"It's really great. It is amazing. I was diagnosed with something bad, and I thought the rest of my life was going to be bad," said Lily Tomlinson until boxes of Taylor Swift stuff began to arrive. Now almost anything T-Swift you can find in her home.
"Then mom gave me these packages and I said, 'What are these?' And it is like everyone is supporting me through the Taylor Swift merch," she said. "They've lately been sending books, stickers and bracelets. I really appreciate all the bracelets because I like to wear them."
After she was diagnosed with brain cancer, her mom, Kelsey, immediately wanted to do something to help her little girl.
"I was thinking what radiation was gonna look like and silly things like her having a lap blanket, her having a beanie hat. In case she lost hair and wanting to bring some happiness," said Kelsey Tomlinson. She reached out to a Swifty crafting group on Facebook to ask for help with comfort items for her daughter. She had no idea what would come.
"They are overwhelmingly kind and they are really just overwhelming - a genuinely caring group of people," said Kelsey about Swifties.
"We were asked very kindly by the post office to start coming every day because the box was full and then their back room was getting full," she laughed.
Big picture view
Kelsey says Lily finished radiation, is discharged from CHOP and now back at home where she wanted to be and is most comfortable.
"While every case is different, typically with this diagnosis the prognosis is eight months to a year," said Kelsey.
Lily is brave and open about her cancer but is focusing on the things she enjoys, like reading books, listening to Taylor Swift and being outside on the acres of land they live on in Bucks County. She is also happy to finally be able to eat on her own again.
"I like sushi and donuts. Wawa mac n cheese. Wawa mac n cheese is the lightest, fluffiest thing," said Lily. She says her family keeps her going along with Swifties who will stop at nothing to make her feel comforted and even more loved.
"It's helped me realize that other people are going through what I'm going through and that there are people there to help me," said Lily.
What you can do
The family has a GoFundMe and the hashtag #SwiftiesforLily which they hope gets the attention of Taylor Swift.
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