Cancer Has Nothing On Taylor's Mom Andrea

If you've been to as many Taylor Swift concerts as I have — a number in the double digits that I will not disclose — you're probably already well acquainted with Swift's mom, Andrea Finlay. She's been a staple at every tour her daughter has ever had, beaming proudly off stage and handing out hugs to anyone who wants to get closer to Swift's magic. When Finlay's not handing out guitar picks and pit passes to people who showed up early or taking photos with Swifties who recognize her in the crowd, she's busy surprising lucky fans dancing in the audience with passes to meet Swift after the show. It's so obvious that Swift learned her generosity from her mom, and that's why it's even more heartbreaking that on Thursday, Swift announced that her mother is battling cancer.

In a letter to fans on Tumblr, Swift revealed that after a routine screening earlier this year, her mother was diagnosed, and although Swift didn't disclose any additional information about what kind of cancer she has or what her condition is at this time, she did warn that Finlay won't be as present at her upcoming tour to support her album, 1989, like she usually is. Although I can't possibly understand what Swift, Finlay, and the rest of their family is going through, I think I can safely say that Finlay is going to kick cancer's ass. Why? Because she's the coolest person ever, especially to Swift's fans.

Being an unhealthily obsessed Swift fan myself, I've met Finlay more times than I can count on one hand over the years. Every time we've crossed paths at a show, she readily offered up a hug — and whether she was totally faking it or not, she always remembered me. "It's good to see you again!" she'd say at the start every conversation, and "See you soon!" to end it. In June 2010, Swift held a 13 hour long meet and greet in Nashville, and Finlay spent the entire day giving fans a tour of Swift's bus and letting them hold her guitars and awards. She didn't have to do that. Someone on Swift's team totally could've taken care of it, but Finlay's that kind of person — she's proud of her daughter, and she's taken a motherly role over her daughter's fans as well.

Like Swift has said many times before, there's a lot to be said for a mother who gives up her life and her privacy to make her daughter's dreams come true, which is just one reason of many that Finlay's got the strength to win this battle. In a 2008 acceptance speech for one of the first awards she ever won, Swift thanked only her mother, saying, "The person that used to love to go to lunch with her friends, and cook dinner for her family, and sleep in her bed every night, and she gave that all away and left it all behind to go on the road with her 16-year-old daughter."

And that's just one example of Swift being super open about how important a role her mom plays in her life — whether she was cheering her up after a long day of dealing with mean girls in middle school, or whether they're traveling the world to keep up with her busy schedule. It's obvious that Swift's mom is her best friend, and my heart breaks for her that she has to go through something so scary.

Now, Finlay's awesome for a whole new reason. Like Swift said in her Tumblr post, she's fighting a battle, but she's willing to be open about that battle if it can benefit others. It's so brave of her to open up about something so difficult, and I admire the hell out of her for wanting to encourage Swift's fans to ask their parents to head to the doctors to be screened themselves. As Swift wrote in the post,

[My mother] wanted you to know because your parents may be too busy juggling everything they’ve got going on to go to the doctor, 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.

Swift and Finlay are both strong, and I have no doubt she's going to pull through. I'm looking forward to the day Swift returns to Tumblr with happier news. They've got this!

Image: Scarsyoumade/Tumblr