Just weeks after giving birth to a healthy baby girl, Elizabeth Joice, 36, who chose to continue carrying her child rather than fight a reoccurring cancer tumor has died. To honor her courage, Elizabeth’s husband has shared the story of a woman who gave up everything to be a mom, if only for a moment.
Elizabeth had been dating her boyfriend Max for two years when, in September 2010, doctors called to say they had found some suspicious growths in her lungs.
In the video below Liz describes how she started punching the walls in her apartment in frustration and grief over the diagnosis.
She told Max should the MRI determine anything serious she would not fight. She said, “If this is going to be bad, I’m not going to do anything…I’m just going to cash it all in and go partying and call it a day.”
During her outrage Max went to the kitchen. He returned 45 seconds later with a ring he had constructed out of aluminum foil and proposed to Liz. She said “yes”! They were married a month later.
Liz was diagnosed with a Sarcoma. She went through four rounds of chemotherapy, a surgery and more chemo to make sure the tumor had completely been defeated. She was declared cancer-free for three years and wanted to turn the page in her life toward having a baby…against strong advisement from medical professionals and doctors that she should not.
Within days, Liz discovered she was pregnant. “I totally blew a gasket,” Max told The Post. “They said there was no chance this was happening — and here it was happening.”
A month later they received the worst news possible: the tumor was back.
Because she was pregnant, Liz couldn’t undergo full-body MRI scans, so it was impossible to see the progress or degradation of the tumor. Her due date was set for March 4, but doctors couldn’t wait that long. In January, a surgeon performed a C-section and Max and Liz’s daughter, Lily Anne Joice, was safely brought into the world.
After delivery Liz’s health almost immediately declined. Tumors spread to her heart, lung and abdomen.
“We said our goodbyes,” Max said. “It was like something out of a movie. We sat there and cried. We tried to tell stories, talk about all the great things. Liz came home five days after Lily was born. That one night at home was all we had.”
Elizabeth died on March 9.
“She had this positive energy that made you want to be the best version of yourself. She was intolerant of self-pity,” said her adoring husband, Max.
“Liz’s magic rubbed off on Lily. She’s beautiful and remarkable. It provides me with the strength to get through this.”
A fundraiser has been set up on website You Caring in order to help the single father and little Lily, with the hopes of getting $50,000. You can donate here.
Watch Liz being interviewed about her journey in 2013 here. It will give you chills when you feel just how incredible this woman was. Hold your loved ones close, always.
Source: Daily Mail/Vimeo
