With help of Ronald McDonald House, this Taylor Swift fan starting to be herself again
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A New Jersey sixth grader who is a huge Taylor Swift fan is spending time at the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House, and the Swiftie is just starting to do everything a 12-year-old should love to do again.
"It just says 'TS,'" Addison Allen said. "It was the first one I made, but then it went on and on."
If the friendship bracelets didn't give it away, you should know that Addison is a "Swiftie."
How many friendship bracelets does she have?
"Too many," she said.
The New Jersey sixth grader has nearly 30 bracelets on her wrists. She's ready to trade them with other fans at Swift's movie. Her dad's her date.
Her dad asked her if she could trade that many, and she said, "Yeah, cuz a lot of people bring bracelets."
Addison's dad, Brian Allen, has two himself to swap.
Seeing Swift on the big screen, Addison says, is the perfect way to cap off a nearly month-long stay away from home.
"I'm here because I have AMPS," Addison said, "and I am going to the program every day."
Here is the Ronald McDonald House and the program is for amplified musculoskeletal pain syndrome -- better known as AMPS -- through the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
The 12-year-old Swiftie and elite gymnast was diagnosed last winter with the chronic pain syndrome.
"The nerves are firing like there's an injury, but there's no injury anymore," Brian said. "And it's firing more than the original pain and it just doesn't go away."
While attending physical PT and OT at CHOP every weekday, the Allens, who live about two hours away, stayed at the home on Chestnut Street.
And Addison's dad is grateful.
"Just makes it so much easier," Brian said. "Or you can focus on your child, don't have to worry about parking, you don't have to worry about food, they provide everything."
Throughout their stay, the Allens participated in family fun nights like painting pumpkins and hanging out with Eagles players, trying to beat them at Uno.
Brian believes his daughter is fearless.
Swift once sang "Fearless," and as she's getting ready to go home, Addison says she is fearless.
Now, she's getting back to running, jumping and enjoying everything a 12-year-old Swiftie loves to do.
"i came through all this," Addison said, "and now I don't think anything can really stop me."
Ronald McDonald House Charities Telethon
Thursday is CBS Philadelphia's 14th annual telethon to raise money to help the Ronald McDonald Houses in Philadelphia, New Jersey and Delaware. The telethon begins at 6 a.m. and runs until 8 p.m. on CBS News Philadelphia.
Here's how you can donate.
Text: The word "FAMILY" to 20222 to make a $25 donation (message and data rates may apply)
Online: www.rmhtelethon.org/donate
Venmo: @RMHCPhillyRegion
