BALTIMORE (WBFF) - Riding in a wheelchair through Johns Hopkins Children’s Hospital is not how anyone would imagine spending their 12th birthday.
Eleven-year-old Haleigh Preston is celebrating this big birthday with a new liver.
Haleigh’s mom, Amber Bodkin, says her daughter has suffered from liver disease since she was born, having surgery at just 9 weeks old.
“In 2016, she got sick and again in 2017, so she was put on the transplant list in December, and on Tuesday [July 3] they said there was a liver and Wednesday [July 4] she got a transplant," said Amber Bodkin.
But for a soon to be 12-year-old, the timing couldn't be worse.
“I was supposed to go to a concert for Taylor Swift!” Haleigh explained.
Her Mom said it was the only thing Haleigh wanted for her birthday.
In January, Haleigh saw the tour dates for Swift’s Reputation Tour, spying a date, July 11, the day before her 12th birthday at FedEx Field, just over an hour from her Havre De Grace home.
Bodkin said: “She was freaking out about Taylor in January ‘We have to go!’ Ok, we'll go, we'll go.”
Haleigh recalled: “I ran in a room and told her that's all I wanted for my birthday.”
Haleigh loves everything Taylor Swift.
“She’s an amazing role model,” she said. “She helps me out a lot when I’m in the hospital, when I get angry.”
The transplant quickly cancelled her plans to see the concert.
“I was very upset,” she said. “I cried for about an hour.”
That's when her doctors and nurses stepped in, creating a music video set to a few of Swift’s most famous tunes.
It is a supersized plea/social media campaign to the superstar: if Haleigh can’t see Swift, then try to bring Swift to Haleigh.
Bodkin said: “It would be awesome. It's the only thing she wanted for her birthday to go to the concert, so if she comes and sees her, I might have a heart attack!”
Even Haleigh has one final plea.
“I really want her to come see me. Please! It will make my day, probably my life.”
FOX45 has reached out to Swift’s publicist, we have yet to hear back.