Taylor Swift's mother Andrea has been diagnosed with cancer. The singer shared the sad news on her Tumblr page on Thursday, telling fans that her mum "wanted you to know".
"I'm saddened to tell you that my mom has been diagnosed with cancer," Taylor wrote. "I'd like to keep the details of her condition and treatment plans private, but she wanted you to know.
"She 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…"
Taylor Swift has revealed that her mum Andrea has cancer
Taylor, whose mother is a regular visitor to her live shows, added: "She wanted you to know why she may not be at as many shows this tour. She's got an important battle to fight."
In the heartfelt post the 25-year-old revealed that she asked her mother to go for a health check as a Christmas present to her, despite their being "no red flags" about her health.
"She did it just to get me and my brother off her case about it," Taylor wrote.
The singer is incredibly close to her parents
The Blank Space singer signed off her message by thanking fans for their support and "caring about my family so much".
Taylor is incredibly close to her mother, and previously said that she was always a friend when she didn't have many others at school. The singer wrote a song The Best Day dedicated to their loving relationship, which features on her 2008 album Fearless.
It is not surprising that the singer used her Tumblr account to announce the news – Taylor often communicates with her fans through the social networking site by reposting their messages, and even consoling one fan who was heartbroken after her boyfriend broke up with her.
The generous star has also sent money and handmade gifts to loyal fans that she has discovered on social media.