NATION NOW

Dancing with Taylor Swift is young cancer patient's final wish

Jeff Anastasio
KENS-TV

SAN ANTONIO -- The last 10 months for Jalene Salinas have been filled with chemo, radiation and surgery, but her story isn't just about cancer but hope, joy and her Texas community's chance to make her final wish come true.

The 4-year-old, with perhaps only weeks to live, dreams of meeting her idol, Taylor Swift for the chance to dance to her hit song, 'Shake it Off.'

Jalene's mother, Jennifer Arriaga has chronicled Jalene's Journey on Facebook. She says over the past few months the family has checked items off Jalene's bucket list, with the exception of dancing to 'Shake it Off' with Swift.

"And you always say shake it off because you want to shake off what?" Arriaga asks her daughter. "Cancer." Jalene says.

Jalene first went to the hospital in April 2014 complaining of headaches. Doctors believed the headaches were triggered by allergies and sent her home with Tylenol, but the headaches persisted and Arriaga took Jalene to Methodist Children's Hospital in San Antonio, Texas.

"Within twenty minutes of the scan, they realized she had swelling in her brain from fluid that was being blocked up from her tumor," said Arriaga.

She was eventually diagnosed with a PNET tumor, a particularly aggressive form of cancer. Doctors were not able to stop the tumors from growing.

"There's nothing else they can do for her," said Arriaga. "They told us anything that you want to do with her now or she wants to do, go ahead and do it."

Taylor, known for taking care of her fans, did send a gift package to Jalene filled with memorabilia and a signed poster. But the family hopes there is a way to get Taylor Swift to Skype or Facetime with Jalene.

Members of Jalene's Texas community are using the hashtag #ShakeItOffJalene on Twitter and tagging @taylorswift13 to help send messages of support and help make her final wish come true. In the past 9 hours the hashtag has been tweeted 600 times, according to Topsy a social analytics site.

Arriaga says regardless of what happens with Jalene's buck list, the next few weeks are not about tears or what-ifs, but about living in the present.

"Let's just be happy, let's smile with her," said mom. "And when the time comes when whatever happens, we'll have our time to mourn and to be sad, but right now let's just enjoy her."