When two-year-old Lilah Smoot had her first seizure at 18 months old, her world changed forever. Doctors found a tumor in her brain and diagnosed her with stage 4 brain cancer.
Lilah loves music and one of her favorite artists is Taylor Swift. Her mother, Katelynn Smoot, says she listened to Taylor’s music during her pregnancy and that Lilah grew up loving those songs. At one point Lilah watched a Taylor Swift video and said, “That’s my friend.”
Because the treatments are long and hard, Lilah’s family started a GoFundme campaign in March so they could pay for travel, hospital stays and therapy. Katelynn posted a heartfelt video on Instagram where Lilah watched Taylor’s videos and referred to her as “my friend. On October 17, 2025, Taylor Swift quietly made a donation of $100,000 through Lilah’s GoFundMe campaign.
Underneath her donation Taylor Swift wrote a personal note:
“Sending the biggest hug to my friend, Lilah! Love, Taylor.”
When Katelynn found out about the donation she posted a video with Lilah dancing and shared how stunned they were. She said they could finally “just focus on being here with our girl.” She wrote, “Is this real life?”
@standwithlilah Safe to say Lilah approves of the new album @Taylor Swift ♬ original sound - The Smoots
This gift will make a big difference, and Lilah’s family won’t have to worry so much about money right now. They can spend more time focused on making sure Lilah is loved and cared for. Lilah still has a tough journey ahead. Her treatment includes chemotherapy, stem‐cell therapy and proton radiation. Some of those treatments mean staying in the hospital for weeks and traveling far from home.
Because Lilah has this rare and aggressive brain cancer, every day counts. But for now, she has even more people rooting for her. So far, the GoFundMe for Lilah has raised over $209,000, and more than 4,500 people have stepped up to help.
This story isn’t about the large donation from Taylor Swift. It’s about the countless strangers who rallied behind little Lilah and inspired her to keep going. Let’s remember that when we see someone struggling, even a small act of kindness can help someone else. And in Lilah’s case, that light came with a hug, a donation, and the promise of being seen.
If you’d like to support Lilah and her family, you can visit their GoFundMe at https://gofund.me/0efafae35.
