Taylor Swift had some bad news to share with fans this week, and she's using it to raise awareness for others in need of a checkup.
The 25-year-old pop music star said on her Tumblr account that her mother has been diagnosed with cancer. She began with background concerning how they found out.
"For Christmas this year, I asked my mom that one of her gifts to me be her going to the doctor to get screened for any health issues, just to ease some worries of mine," Swift wrote. "She agreed, and went in to get checked. There were no red flags and she felt perfectly fine, but she did it just to get me and my brother off her case about it.
"The results came in, and I'm saddened to tell you that my mom has been diagnosed with cancer. I'd like to keep the details of her condition and treatment plans private, but she wanted you to know."
Well-wishes are almost certainly welcome, but the real reason behind publicizing the diagnosis was that Swift and her mother wanted others to go to the doctor more regularly.
"She wanted you to know because your parents may be too busy juggling everything they've got going on to go to the doctor," Swift added. "And maybe you reminding them to go get checked for cancer could possibly lead to an early diagnosis and an easier battle... Or peace of mind in knowing that they're healthy and there's nothing to worry about.
"She wanted you to know why she may not be at as many shows this tour. She's got an important battle to fight."
Swift's mother is 57-year-old Andrea Finlay — a regular at Swift's shows who's even shown up in music videos. Fans are offering support on Twitter, where the hashtag #PrayForMamaSwift was trending Thursday, according to CNN.
According to the American Cancer Society, about 1,658,370 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in the US this year.
