Swiftie fan: ‘I’m in my Bone Marrow Transplant Era’

This 22-year-old college student was on her way to study pediatric oncology when she received her own diagnosis.

By TJ Banes, IU Health Senior Journalist, tfender1@iuhealth.org

Step inside Hannah Everson’s hospital room at IU Health Simon Cancer Center and there’s little doubt about the object of her girl-fanning. A disco ball hangs in the corner, a strand of sunflowers drapes an IV pole, and a candle with the phrase, “She’s a Swiftie” sits on a shelf. Pictures of the multitalented singer-songwriter line the walls of Everson’s room.

“I love Taylor. She’s gotten me through a lot,” said Everson. And by “a lot” she means the diagnosis and treatment that landed her in the care of IU Health. Emerson was a typical college student at IU Bloomington, a member of Alpha Phi Sorority, studying human biology on a premed track. She volunteered with a campus club called “Royal Encounters,” where she dressed as a Disney Princess to brighten up the day of children who are ill. She also volunteered at a camp for children whose parents were diagnosed with cancer.

Then on April 22, after experiencing bleeding of her gums, fatigue, fever, and sickness, she made a trip to the ER. The next day, she learned she has acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow. She was immediately transferred to IU Health Simon Cancer Center where she began seven days of chemotherapy.

“It was by the grace of God that Dr. Cripe was covering for someone the night we came in,” said Everson’s mom, Kim Everson. Dr. Larry Cripe specializes in hematology and oncology. “He asked if Hannah had any questions and she said she wanted to know what her cancer looked like. He said he’d never been asked that question before,” said her mom. Dr. Cripe promptly took Hannah to his office and showed her the cancer under a microscope. He explained it as weeds in her garden and how they were going to work to get rid of the weeds.

Hannah’s mother is married to Chuck, who works in maintenance at Riley Hospital for Children. “He’s in charge of the little red wagons,” said Kim. She works in registration at IU Health Tipton; and Hanna works as a patient care tech at IU Health Bloomington. Hannah also has a younger brother.

“I always wanted to be a pediatric oncologist and now having my own cancer diagnosis gives me a different perspective,” said Hannah. “This has changed everything about my life. I know what my main priorities are and right now that’s my health.”

She recently received a stem cell transplant in the care of Dr. Jennifer Schwartz. Afterward, nurses surprised her with a special visitor, “Taylor Swift,” better known by her peers as nurse Payton Knapp. She was given a special shirt with the message, “I’m in my BMT Era.” The same message greets visitors who walk through the door to her room.

“It doesn’t surprise me at all how she is coping with this. She has always been very independent,” said her mom. “I thought the day we sent her off to college was the hardest day. of my life but I now know the day I got the phone call about her diagnosis was the hardest day.” Hannah and her family live in Elwood, Ind. where Hannah grew up playing high school sports, volleyball, basketball, and cheerleading. “We live in a community of about 9,000 people and everyone has rallied around us, hosting fundraisers and sending us food,” said Kim Emerson. “When they heard that Hannah wanted Ramen noodles and gold fish crackers, they sent so many I donated some to the local food pantry.”

In the past few months, Hannah said she has relied on her family, friends, and her emotional support dog, to keep her going. And, of course Taylor Swift music.

Right now she’s keeping her focus on recovery. She has big plans in November - she’ll be seeing the pop icon live in her Indianapolis concert.

“We’re just hoping to find a safe place where Hannah won’t be in the crowd because we don’t want her to get sick,” said her mom.