Taylor Swift superfan’s TikTok appeal to get the ‘22’ hat at Anfield to boost her cancer battle

A Taylor Swift superfan who’s battling cancer is hoping to get the singer’s ‘22’ hat at her Anfield concert on Saturday to help in her fight against the disease.

Chloe Stirling, a St Helens nurse who was diagnosed with stomach cancer in March this year, says getting the Taylor Swift hat might seem like a small thing compared with what she’s going through.

She says: “I am a huge Swifty, and it would give me a much-needed boost while I fight this thing.”

The 29-year-old adds: “I’m having a difficult time at the moment, and it would really cheer me up to get the hat.”

During each of her concerts for her Eras Tour, Taylor Swift makes her way to the end of stage to give her iconic black hat to a fan. She places it on the person’s head while she’s performing the song ‘22’, the music video for which the American singer wears the famous accessory.

In spite of currently going through chemo for the rare and aggressive cancer she has, Chloe is determined to attend the concert at Anfield on June 15.  

And she’s put out an appeal on TikTok in the hope that when someone is invited onto stage to get the hat, ‘it will be me’.

You can watch here appeal here.

“I love Taylor Swift. I listen to her music all the time. I am in the middle of chemo – so Taylor I’m risking my life for you because I really want to come!” she grins.

“I never ask for anything, but if I could meet Taylor Swift and get that hat, it would be amazing.

“I know there’s plenty of other people who probably deserve it more, but I would just love it. I am really positive but there are times when I’m sad and depressed, and it would make my day.”

Chloe, from Eccleston who’s a nurse at St Helens’ Walk-In Centre, was diagnosed with stomach cancer at the end of March after suffering from gnawing pains in her abdomen and then constant reflux that wouldn’t go away.

She underwent tests for gallstones and a stomach ulcer but, after pushing for a CT scan and having biopsies taken, Chloe was given the devastating news.

“I had so many plans for this year, I’d booked holidays, and I’m due to get married to my fiancée Aimee next year.”

All that has had to be put on hold while Chloe faces the fight for her life.

She is currently undergoing two months of chemotherapy after which, in July, she’ll face a 10-hour complex operation by a top gastroenterologist at the Imperial Hospital in London to remove her stomach and lymph nodes from the surrounding area.

After several weeks, she will begin another four rounds of chemotherapy.

She admits: “This is a really aggressive form of cancer with a high rate of return, and I don’t know if I’m going to be here in the next couple of years because the survival rate is so low.

“But that’s why getting the hat would also be good – because people normally look into who’s got the hat, and they would see my story, and it would raise awareness.

“In young women this cancer is more common than people think. There’s a group called Stomach Cancer Sisters with people who have it because it’s becoming more prevalent in young women and they’re not sure why.

“I want to raise awareness of the symptoms so people don’t dismiss reflux, or indigestion or heartburn – signs of stomach cancer – until it’s too late. As a health professional I always think that something will probably be unlikely but consider what the worst-case scenario might be so it can be ruled out – and not missed.

“Cancer doesn’t discriminate.

“It doesn’t care if you’re pretty, or you’re young; it doesn’t care if you’ve got lots of money or you have none.

“If I get the hat I can raise that awareness too.”

Chloe says: “Obviously if I don’t get her hat, that’s fine, and I know I’m very lucky to be going to the concert. But if I do… that would be pretty special too.”

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