B.C. girl with rare disease lands fairytale meeting with Taylor Swift

For 11-year-old Selena Yorke, who suffers from an extremely rare degenerative disease, meeting Taylor Swift is her ultimate dream.

Since January, Selena and her family have been campaigning on social media to get the attention of Swift – and the day before the megastar’s Vancouver concert, it paid off.

Last week, Selena appeared on AM/BC with Jill Krop to explain why meeting Swift would mean so much.

A year ago, Selena was diagnosed with Friedreich’s ataxia disorder, a disease that is slowly causing her to lose her ability to walk and talk.

The illness causes muscle weakness and spinal problems, causing Selena to use a wheelchair part time.

One thing that helps Selena through the hardships of dealing with her disease is the music of Swift.

“I like her because she’s awesome and because her music is inspiring,” Selena said. “How she can say all that stuff without being nervous and how she sings to thousands and thousands of people.”

Selena’s mom, Carianne, said meeting Swift would put a permanent smile on her daughter’s face after a difficult year.

“I just want to give her a lasting memory,” she said.

Thanks to all their hard work getting the word out, that lasting memory will now be a reality.

On Friday afternoon one of Swift’s representatives called the Yorke family to say she saw Selena on Global BC and has set up a meeting with the superstar at her BC Place “Red” concert.

What will Selena do when she meets her idol?

“It means the world to me,” Selena said. “I’d probably faint and then I’d wake up because I’d be too scared to faint.”