Rogers and Canucks for Kids Fund Brings A-Team to Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour

We don’t know about you, but we love making dreams come true.

Canucks for Kids Fund (CFKF), in partnership with Rogers, the presenting sponsor of Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour, surprised a select group of deserving young fans and their families with tickets courtesy of Rogers to The Eras Tour, sending them to her highly anticipated concert in Vancouver.

The 10 youths chosen throughout the province are exceptional people that have overcome adversity. They’ve shown determination, embraced a positive attitude, and found resolve through Taylor Swift’s music. From battling life-threatening illnesses to making meaningful contributions within their communities, these young fans possess the resilience and inspiration that Swift’s music often represents.

CFKF worked with their beneficiaries to identify each recipient. The groups, alongside Rogers, are celebrating these amazing kids by amplifying their voices and highlighting the power of music in fostering hope, connection, and healing. Each recipient’s story is a testament to courage and determination, making their experience of seeing Taylor Swift live even more profound and unforgettable.

Brynlee

Brynlee was diagnosed with a brain tumor in the fall of her kindergarten year, undergoing surgery followed by a heavy and intense chemotherapy treatment plan. While she was an inpatient at BC Children’s Hospital, she watched and sang along to Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour and had it on repeat for several months and that soundtrack became her therapy.

She’d sing in her bed and when she felt well enough, she would get out of bed and dance. Brynlee found incredible inspiration in Taylor Swift’s music and started performing the Eras Tour for the nurses in the hospital. She gained a lot of confidence through her love of music, and it got her through tough times as she progressed in her treatment. She still continues treatment but is now back home and is enjoying Grade 1, playing outside and spending time with her family.

Brynlee was surprised with Taylor Swift tickets at BC Children’s Hospital, giving her the chance to fulfill her dream of seeing her idol perform live. She was thrilled to accept her tickets and celebrated with her mom and the nurses who have been a big part of her journey.

Teagan

Teagan was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma in November of 2022 and began a year-long treatment plan that consisted of chemotherapy and surgery. Teagan really found strength in all of Taylor Swift's work and because of that, she requested that Taylor be played while getting prepped for her surgery. The surgical staff accommodated the request by playing Taylor Swift in the surgical suite, so Teagan was able to go under anesthesia listening to “Lavender Haze”.

Through the process, Teagan’s spirit never wavered, and they met every step of the process with courage, doing whatever was required to get better. Teagan had daily injections to prepare for, medications to take, and physiotherapy exercises for rehabilitation and was persistent in their healing journey.

Now, Teagan is in remission but still has frequent check-ups at BC Children’s Hospital. They have dreams of travelling and taking on life's biggest adventures and were over the moon excited to be able to see Swift live.

Maddy

At just 16-years-old, Maddy has overcome tremendous challenges throughout her life. Despite these adversities, she has shown resilience by forming trusting bonds with her foster family and community and finding strength in her culture.

As a result of her life experiences, Maddy creates a safe, inclusive space for others. She has been a youth ambassador and mentor within her community, actively engaged in cultural ceremonies and driven by a vision of becoming a mental health professional to give back. Maddy participates in the Take a Hike school program and over the past year, she has made courageous strides in her mental health journey and positively impacting the school community.

Maddy has been a Swiftie for the last decade, since listening to Swift’s music at 6 years old. She has a deep connection to Swift’s music, it has been a source of comfort and expression throughout her life and has been instrumental in her healing journey.

Folklore is her favourite album and got Maddy through some difficult times in life. When presented with the tickets, Maddy was beyond excited – filled with joy and disbelief – expressing “This isn’t real life!” many times as the reality that they were going to see Swift dawned on her.

Heidi

Heidi was born with DiGeorge syndrome, which includes a rare combination of a congenital heart defect and underdeveloped lungs. As a result, she has had many open-heart surgeries including a specialized procedure only available at Stanford Medical Center.

Despite these challenges, 12-year-old Heidi lives and breathes Taylor Swift and is a high achiever in school. Heidi spreads joy through her personality and clothing – which is Taylor Swift inspired – and she always finds a way to fit Taylor Swift into conversation at her doctor’s appointments. Attending the concert with her family is a dream come true and it will be a night to remember.

Lily

Lily is a neurosurgery warrior who has endured multiple life-saving procedures at BC Children’s Hospital. Lily had two surgeries to remove a cancerous brain tumor in the summer of 2022 and she has been an inspiration throughout her treatment.

She is obsessed with all things T-Swift and can’t wait to attend the concert in Vancouver. Lily plays the piano and admires Taylor for her piano-playing abilities and the costumes she wears on stage. She loves the variety in Swift’s music and her favourite song is currently “I Can Do It With A Broken Heart”, but “Cruel Summer” held top spot on her list for a long time.

Fraser

Fraser found her happy place when she was able to express herself through music. The 11-year-old is a singer at Sarah McLachlan School of Music (SoM) which is a charity that helps children and youth find their voices, and it’s done exactly that for Fraser who feels free to sing and make music with friends without judgement.

Prior to SoM, Fraser yearned for a creative space that nurtured and celebrated her individuality, and with her unending positivity she came into SoM and found where she belongs.

She writes songs in her ensemble class and has joined a choir, but her love for Swift was apparent at her very first concert in 2021 where she performed the hit “Shake It Off”. Fraser looks up to Swift for her singing prowess and the pop star’s values. When Fraser was surprised with the good news, her smile widened, and eyes brightened as she responded “Oh my gosh! I actually am [going]?!” Fraser and her family are thrilled and are more than ready for the three-hour sing-along.

Mila

Mila is able to follow her true passion for music through group singing and voice programs at SoM. She quickly took the opportunity to perform at Open Mic Night, which is a special opportunity for students to pick a song, prepare it themselves, and perform for their family, friends and other students in a supportive environment. Mila took this significant step with the help of her favourite song - “Enchanted” by Taylor Swift.

Mila would give anything to be immersed in Swift’s live concert and was in complete shock and exclaimed “Oh my god, are you kidding me?!” when she was presented with the opportunity to see her live. She instinctually hugged Canucks’ Rinkside Reporter Olivia McDonald for presenting her with the surprise.

Kamryn

Five years ago, Kamryn moved 5,000 kilometres away from everything she knew in the Bahamas for a better life. Her mother sent her to live with her aunt and cousins in Vancouver and despite challenges, Kamryn never complains. It’s tough to be away from home, and up until this past summer, she hadn’t seen her mother in two years.

She is a Grade 12 student at Templeton Secondary School and part of the East End Boys Club – Girls Leadership Group – walking the hallways with a kind heart in everything she does. Kamryn is someone her classmates can look to for guidance and has emerged as a leader among her peers. She is of course a huge Taylor Swift fan and was blown away by the ticket surprise. Kamryn loves the raw emotion Swift puts into singing some of her ballads and her favourite song is “Back to December”.

Julia

At just 18 years old, Julia is a warrior who battles the many health challenges she’s been faced with. The Grade 12 student has had leukemia three times and has just completed a CAR T-cell program – an extremely intense procedure where the white blood cells were removed from her body, reengineered, and put back.

She recently received life-changing news that her bone marrow is now cancer-free, making her an inspiration to many as she gets stronger day by day. Julia is part of the East End Boys Club – Girls Leadership Group and is a resilient young woman with a passion for Taylor Swift and is thrilled about the opportunity to be able to see her perform live. She looks up to Swift as a positive and empowering role model and her favourite songs are “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” and “Cardigan”.

Jackson

When Jackson started playing hockey three years ago, no one knew it was going to completely change his life. He had to learn how to play the game, learn how to skate and learn how to be part of a team. It was hard for him to navigate social settings as he’s on the autism spectrum, but he’s made great strides over the last three years.

Since getting involved in hockey, he’s become a leader – an assistant captain on his team – and his teammates look up to him because he encourages them and inspires them to be better. When he started his hockey journey, he was hard on himself and everyone around him, but through his love of the sport he’s developed an increasingly positive outlook with each day he steps foot on the ice.

Jackson has worked hard to change his outlook and is a Swiftie to the core. This past summer, he made friendship bracelets and sold them at swim meets, creating connections with other T-Swift fans.