NORRISTOWN — Amy Hosmer loves Taylor Swift.
From the day she first heard her, Hosmer said she began mimicking her style.
While there are most likely millions of girls across the country who have done the same thing, there’s something that sets Hosmer apart — she was diagnosed with a brain tumor when she was two years old.
Initially, doctors told her parents that it was unlikely that she would live long. However, radiation therapy prevailed and the tumor all but went away.
From the day she first heard her, Hosmer said she began mimicking her style.
While there are most likely millions of girls across the country who have done the same thing, there’s something that sets Hosmer apart — she was diagnosed with a brain tumor when she was two years old.
Initially, doctors told her parents that it was unlikely that she would live long. However, radiation therapy prevailed and the tumor all but went away.
After a yearly check-up at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) in November, doctors saw that the tumor came back.
But none of that has deterred Amy from following her dream of becoming a singer herself.
But none of that has deterred Amy from following her dream of becoming a singer herself.
“Taylor Swift made me want to start singing,” Hosmer said in the Norristown-based Rotation Records.
Over the summer Hosmer wrote a song called “This Camp” at the Ronald McDonald Camp and her mother posted a video of her singing it to the Facebook page that was created to help Hosmer meet Swift.
Joe Staiber, who co-owns Rotation Records with Tom Jensen, was contacted by a teacher in Plymouth Meeting who volunteers at the Ronald McDonald Camp and knows Hosmer.
“She thought that since we are a record company we could contact Taylor Swift and get her to come meet Amy,” Staiber said.
Staiber said that he was able to contact Swift, but Swift was unavailable to meet with Hosmer.
That didn’t stop Staiber and his staff from treating Amy like a pop star in her own right.
“We wanted to make her feel like a celebrity for a day,” Staiber said.
Hosmer and her family were picked up Thursday morning in a limo and taken to meet with Hosmer’s anesthesiologist. After the appointment she was driven to the Rotation Records recording studio on Dekalb Street to record her song “This Camp.”
She was given an iPod shuffle pre-loaded with all of her favorite songs. Her favorite gift was a picture signed by Taylor Swift.
“Since she couldn’t be here, she wanted to make sure to give you something,” Staiber said to Hosmer after handing her the picture of Swift.
Following the recording, Rotation Records held a red carpet event at Place One Apartments in Plymouth Meeting with media and well-wishers waiting to see her.
Ronald McDonald Camp Counsler, Jason Stussy was there with a big sign wishing Hosmer well.
“It is a great event for a great girl,” Stussy said. He along with many others were excited to see that Hosmer was happy.
Hosmer’s day in the spotlight could not have come at a better time. Next week she will be undergoing brain surgery to remove the tumor, and recording her song has taken the surgery off of her mind.
That didn’t stop Staiber and his staff from treating Amy like a pop star in her own right.
“We wanted to make her feel like a celebrity for a day,” Staiber said.
Hosmer and her family were picked up Thursday morning in a limo and taken to meet with Hosmer’s anesthesiologist. After the appointment she was driven to the Rotation Records recording studio on Dekalb Street to record her song “This Camp.”
She was given an iPod shuffle pre-loaded with all of her favorite songs. Her favorite gift was a picture signed by Taylor Swift.
“Since she couldn’t be here, she wanted to make sure to give you something,” Staiber said to Hosmer after handing her the picture of Swift.
Following the recording, Rotation Records held a red carpet event at Place One Apartments in Plymouth Meeting with media and well-wishers waiting to see her.
Ronald McDonald Camp Counsler, Jason Stussy was there with a big sign wishing Hosmer well.
“It is a great event for a great girl,” Stussy said. He along with many others were excited to see that Hosmer was happy.
Hosmer’s day in the spotlight could not have come at a better time. Next week she will be undergoing brain surgery to remove the tumor, and recording her song has taken the surgery off of her mind.
“She has her moments where she worries,” Hosmer’s mother Etta said. “But it has definitely taken all of our minds off the surgery.”
Apart from the recording and positive attention she’s received, she said that her faith in God helps her stay strong when facing surgery.
“I know that he’ll watch over me and help me get over this disease.”
She also said that the Ronald McDonald Camp and the friends she made there have helped a lot.
“It’s nice not having to explain what a tumor or a MRI is,” Hosmer said.
The Ronald McDonald Camp is where she first started to write songs. The first year she was there she wrote a song that was dedicated to a friend who also had a brain tumor. The second year is where she wrote the song, “This Camp.”
“The camp needed a song about it that people could hear,” Hosmer said.
Rotation Records will put “This Camp” on Amazon and iTunes and that the proceeds will go to the Hosmer Family to help with medical costs.
Apart from the recording and positive attention she’s received, she said that her faith in God helps her stay strong when facing surgery.
“I know that he’ll watch over me and help me get over this disease.”
She also said that the Ronald McDonald Camp and the friends she made there have helped a lot.
“It’s nice not having to explain what a tumor or a MRI is,” Hosmer said.
The Ronald McDonald Camp is where she first started to write songs. The first year she was there she wrote a song that was dedicated to a friend who also had a brain tumor. The second year is where she wrote the song, “This Camp.”
“The camp needed a song about it that people could hear,” Hosmer said.
Rotation Records will put “This Camp” on Amazon and iTunes and that the proceeds will go to the Hosmer Family to help with medical costs.
Hats off to the many people who have taken this opportunity to make a difference:
Rotation Records.
Sue, a Ronald McDonald Camp counselor who took Amy shopping for clothes for her recording session.
Rosalie Hetrick and Maria Jacobs, two other counselors, who organized the after-party.
The friends, family members, and supporters at the red-carpet party and on Facebook.
Amy’s classmate Katelyn and her mom Renee, who volunteered to get their hair cut to make Amy a wig. Some of Katelyn’s cousins are also donating their hair so there is enough for a full wig.
Amy’s teacher, Sandy Hager, who held fundraisers for the family and got T-shirts that say “Supporting Amy” for the entire fifth grade. A photo of the class wearing the shirts will be enlarged for Amy’s hospital room.
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