Taylor Swift’s 66-year-old mom Andrew Swift is thriving in survivorship as it’s been five years since she fought breast cancer recurrence—and she’ll soon be celebrating another life milestone as her daughter will be turning 35 years old on December 13.
Andrea is a two-time breast cancer survivor following both a 2015 and 2019 diagnosis. She also battled a brain tumor that was found in January 2020 amid chemotherapy treatments.
It’s important to remember that survivorship, like in a Taylor Swift’s mom’s case, isn’t just an end state – it’s a continuous journey. It begins the moment a person is diagnosed with a significant health condition and continues throughout their life. You might hear people say things like, “from the moment of diagnosis, you become a survivor.”
It’s a powerful sentiment that reflects the courage and resilience involved in battling a serious illness.
Singer-songwriter Taylor Swift will soon be celebrating her 35th birthday—a milestone event that comes as her record-breaking Eras Tour has concluded and her beloved 66-year-old mom Andrea Swift is navigating survivorship after breast cancer and a brain tumor.
Swift was born on December 13, 1989, in the small town of West Reading, Pennsylvania, and grew up on a Christmas tree farm in a close-knit town called Wyomissing before moving to Nashville, Tennessee, with her family to pursue her country music dreams. It’s certainly incredible to see how she’s been able to go from living in a small town to performing on stages across the world.
🚨| Can we always have The Eras Tour forever and ever? And ah take me out and take me to BC Place! Taylor's in in in in Oh Taylor's in in in in Darling, Taylor's in in in in Vancouver! Taylor Swift kicks off the FINAL stop of 'The Eras Tour' TODAY! ✨#VancouverTSTheErasTourpic.twitter.com/t3KIdyUXSV
— The Eras Tour (@tswifterastour) December 6, 2024 It’s also heartwarming to see mom always by her side and supporting the “Shake It Off” singer throughout her music journey, often dancing and singing along to her daughter’s songs at concerts.
Although it’s unclear what Swift will be doing for her 35th birthday, a source has revealed that her football star Travis Kelce is hoping to make her day “extra special,” according to Page Six.
The insider told Page Six, “This is a milestone birthday for Taylor so he wants to make it extra special. Travis has only let a few of those closest to him know what he has in store for Taylor because he doesn’t want to ruin any surprises.”
For Swifts 34th birthday, the pop star celebrated with some high-profile friends in New York City.
Alongside a photo of her and her close pals, she wrote, “Can’t believe this year… actually… happened? Thank you for all your beautiful birthday wishes yesterday.”
Swift also often displays her down-to-earth vibe, and joked how she’s proud to be a millennial in another Instagram post.
She joked on her social media post, shared on December 13, 2023, “PS troll me all you want about my excessive and literal millennial emoji use. But A) no one’s prouder to be a millennial and B) it’s my bday and today I am exempt!”
Swift’s younger brother Austin Kingsley Swift previously took to social media to commemorate his sister turning 29, with a sweet throwback photo.
In a sweet post featuring a childhood memory of him and his sister, Swift’s brother wrote, “It is a singularly beautiful thing to see magic right in front of your eyes.
“After nearly three decades of that happening time and time again, the effect hasn’t worn off. I have always had a best friend, a role model, and a caring, tireless, dedicated champion in my corner.”
He continued, “You have pulled me out of fires and carried me up mountains. The gift of getting to witness you become the wonderful person you are today has been the greatest privilege and honor of my life. Happy 29th Birthday @taylorswift”
We’re sure whatever Swift will be doing for her 35th birthday, it’ll involve her beloved family, boyfriend, and friends.
Andrea Swift is a two-time cancer survivor following her first breast cancer diagnosis in 2015 and then again in 2019. She also dealt with a brain tumor doctors discovered while she was undergoing chemotherapy.
After sharing her mom’s diagnosis on social media with her fans, Taylor noted that her mom “may not be at as many shows” to focus on her cancer treatment, entertainment media outlet Distractify reports.
“The symptoms of what a person goes through when they have a brain tumor is nothing like what we’ve ever been through with her cancer before. So it’s just been a really hard time for us as a family,” Taylor Swift told Variety in an earlier interview.
The specifics about Andrea’s breast cancer and the status of her ongoing treatment remain unknown, but one thing is for sure — she’s not letting her previous cancer diagnoses prevent her from taking part in their daughter’s eventful life.
Although the “Anti-Hero” singer hasn’t revealed explicit details about her mom’s diagnosis, it’s important to understand that metastatic breast cancer often presents as a recurrence of a prior early-stage breast cancer, although it can be a new diagnosis.
Young Taylor Swift with her mother, Andrea. (Photo credit: GoFundMe)
Back in 2015, the year Andrea was first diagnosed with breast cancer, Taylor’s mom presented her daughter with The Milestone Award at The Academy of Country Music Awards.
“I’ve watched this milestone artist from the time she was a tangled hair little girl growing up on our farm, full of imagination and creativity,” Andrea told the crowd at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in what was her first public appearance since her cancer diagnosis. “And ever since then, her favorite thing in the world to do has been to write a song, tell a story, play a guitar, or a piano,” Andrea said. “And I’ve seen those things carry her through every emotion, every experience in her life. Good or bad.”
She continued, “Every once in a while, her dad or I find ourselves to be the subject of those songs. Sometimes we’re merely the inspiration. Like the time she was 17 years old and her dad and I strongly disapproved of a young man, and rightfully so. But she was mad, she was real mad, and she went to her room and she closed the door. She came out about an hour later with a song called ‘Love Story.’”
Taylor’s parents have been incredibly influential in her success and she doesn’t shy away from giving her mom credit whenever possible. During her mom’s breast cancer battle, Taylor wrote a song dedicated to her mom called “The Best Day.” The lyrics include the notable line, “…And I love you for giving me your eyes. Staying back and watching me shine…”
Taylor Swift and her mom Andrea pictured in 2015 (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images for dcp)
Another song dedicated to Andrea includes, “Soon You’ll Get Better.”
Taylor told a crowd at the Global Citizen’s “One World, Together at Home” concert in 2020, “That’s a song I don’t know if I’ll ever play it live. It’s just really difficult for me. It was hard to write. It’s hard to sing. It’s hard to listen to for me,” CNN reported.
Surviving for Your Kids — Added Motivation to Fight
A lot of survivors tell us that telling their loved ones was one of the hardest things about having cancer, especially children. How do you keep strong for your kids when you’re simply not feeling strong?
Gina de Givenchy says she told her daughter, who was 12 at the time of her diagnosis, the day after she found out.
“I really wanted her to know that I was going to be OK,” Gina previously told SurvivorNet. “I didn’t want her to see me weak and sickly. It is what it is, you can’t really hide it. But when it comes to your kids, I think you want to protect them.”
The pressures of parenthood can be daunting during a cancer journey, but having loved ones that depend on you can also provide another source of motivation to fight.
‘Your Emotional Well-Being’ Can Impact Overall Survival
Dr. Dana Chase, a gynecologic oncologist at UCLA Health, says that maintaining good emotional health and quality of life is associated with better survival and better outcomes for patients. She encourages cancer patients to prioritize their emotional health for this reason.
“So definitely working on your emotional health, your physical well-being, your social environment, your emotional well-being, definitely working on those things and making them better are important and can impact your survival,” Dr. Chase told SurvivorNet.
WATCH: How emotional health plays a role in the cancer journey.
Dr. Chase suggests tapping into your support network, which includes loved ones like friends and family if you need help discovering what brings you positive emotions. You can also seek help from a patient advocate or a support group either in-person or virtually that shares your cancer or disease.
These important people in your life can help you navigate your emotions and even join you for fun activities to boost your emotional health, which in turn, can help how you address any lasting physical ailments.
Whether you’re beginning your journey into survivorship or are a seasoned survivor, you’ll quickly learn that it’s a term with many layers. At its simplest, ‘survivorship’ signifies the state of living beyond a challenging event or diagnosis, such as cancer. More specifically, it marks the period after treatment where a patient goes from merely surviving to thriving, as they navigate their newfound lease on life.
It’s important to remember that survivorship, like in a Taylor Swift’s mom’s case, isn’t just an end state – it’s a continuous journey. It begins the moment a person is diagnosed with a significant health condition and continues throughout their life. You might hear people say things like, “from the moment of diagnosis, you become a survivor.”
It’s a powerful sentiment that reflects the courage and resilience involved in battling a serious illness.
Being a survivor also means redefining your life while coping with the aftermath of disease and its treatment. This phase might include the challenge of dealing with physical and emotional changes, attending regular check-ups, the fear of recurrence, or the need for long-term medication. Despite these hurdles, many survivors find unique strength, growth, and transformation during this time.
Survivorship is much more than just the absence of disease—it’s a new stage of life, a rite of passage. Your journey might not have been one you would have chosen, but through it, you’ll uncover a greater understanding of yourself and what you’re capable of. Each person’s survivorship journey is unique, and how you choose to travel is entirely up to you.
Remember—navigating this new terrain called ‘Survivorship’. It might be challenging, but remember, you’re not alone. There are ample resources and support systems designed to help you along the way.
Continued Medical Care
Don’t lose sight of the importance of continued medical care – always keep your follow-up appointments and adhere to any healthcare recommendations.
Remember, embracing these coping strategies can help you navigate your way into survivorship with greater ease and renewed energy. Just remember – slow and steady wins the race! You’ve overcome huge hurdles, it’s okay to take this new stage of your life at your own pace.
Additionally, health checkups are an integral part of maintaining wellness and spotting potential health issues early. This holds true for everyone, but even more so for a person who’s in the throes of survivorship.
One of the main reasons you’ll want to maintain routine health checks is to monitor for recurrence. While the hope is always for complete recovery, there’s a possibility of the disease returning—even with successful treatment. Regular checkups allow you to keep a vigilant eye on the situation, leading to early detection and treatment if any problem emerges.
Managing Other Health Conditions & Healthy Lifestyle Changes, Matters Too!
A survivorship journey can occasionally lead to new health conditions, including heart problems, diabetes, or osteoporosis. Routine screenings and monitoring help keep these conditions under control, ensuring they don’t escalate into major health risks.
Regular checkups also serve as an opportunity for your health care provider to give advice on healthy lifestyle changes. This includes exercise, a balanced diet, stress management, and quitting habits like smoking and excessive alcohol consumption—factors that can significantly lower the risk of recurrence or other health issues.
