Taylor Swift Donates $100K After Viral Video

Taylor Swift quietly donated $100,000 to a GoFundMe for two-year-old Lilah Smoot after seeing a viral video of the toddler dancing and calling Swift her “friend,” attaching a note that read, “Sending you the biggest hug to my friend Lilah.” Lilah, from North Carolina, suffered a seizure and was diagnosed with atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor (ATRT), a rare aggressive pediatric brain cancer; doctors outlined treatment including induction chemotherapy, high‑dose chemotherapy with stem-cell rescue and proton radiation, and the family has traveled to Philadelphia for portions of care not available locally. The family — who have been documenting Lilah’s journey on TikTok — discovered Swift’s gift by refreshing the GoFundMe page and say they received no prior or subsequent contact from Swift or her team. Swift’s donation prompted an outpouring of fan and public contributions that more than doubled the fundraiser to roughly $329,200, providing significant financial relief. Lilah’s mother, Katelynn, expressed deep gratitude and said the attention has raised awareness about pediatric cancer and ATRT; the family has discussed starting a nonprofit to help other families facing similar diagnoses.