Taylor Swift $100K Cancer Donation 'Awesome Baby:' Vitale

SARASOTA, FL — Taylor Swift might be best known for her award-winning pipes, but her philanthropic efforts are “awesome baby.”

That’s according to ESPN Hall of Fame sportscaster Dick Vitale, whose V Foundation for Cancer Research recently announced a major donation made by the Grammy Award-winning crooner.

The $100,000 donation will benefit the foundation’s signature Dick Vitale Gala, which takes place May 13 at Sarasota’s Ritz-Carlton. The event has been around 10 years so far and has raised more than $15 million for pediatric cancer research.

“We are so proud that Taylor has joined us to help raise funds for pediatric cancer research and to battle this dreaded disease that is taking so many young lives,” Vitale said in a release about the donation. “Taylor has a heart of gold, and due to her generosity, we are closer to meeting our goal this year to raise $2.5 million. Taylor is ‘Awesome Baby,’ with a capital A! We cannot thank her enough.”

The North Carolina-based V Foundation for Cancer Research is known for awarding 100 percent of all direct cash donations and net proceeds from its events to cancer research and related programs. Vitale, a Lakewood Ranch resident, serves on the foundation’s board of directors and is an outspoken advocate for pediatric cancer research. Since it was launched in 1993, the V Foundation has raised more than $150 million in cancer research grants nationally, including nearly $20 million specifically earmarked for pediatric cancer research.

“It is heartbreaking when a child is diagnosed with cancer,” Susan Braun, the foundation’s CEO, said in the release. “The entire family is thrown into one of the most difficult times imaginable. With Taylor’s generous support, we will forge ahead with research that will change the face of cancer, and save the lives of children.”

The upcoming Sarasota Gala honors Vitale, Bo Ryan, Robin Roberts and Urban Meyer. Tickets start at $1,000. Sponsorship opportunities are also available. More information is available on the event’s website.

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