Taylor Swift Debuts ‘Ronan’ at Stand Up To Cancer Benefit

Taylor Swift first learned about Ronan Thompson through a blog that the young boy’s mother kept about his battle against neuroblastoma, a cancerous tumor of the nerve tissue. Ronan died at the age of three in 2011, and Swift credits Maya Thompson with co-writing the song, in which the 22-year-old country pop star movingly channels a mother’s heartbreak and loss. Swift gave the ballad a fitting debut performance at Friday night’s Stand Up To Cancer 2012 telethon, which raises funds for research into cures for the disease; After the performance, the song became available on iTunes, with all proceeds donated to the Taylor Swift Charitable Fund.