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Liza Burke, a 22-year-old senior at the University of Georgia, passed away on Friday morning after suffering a brain hemorrhage last month. Liza held on to her older brother Jack’s hand when she died around 2:20 am.
Liza was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain tumor after suffering a brain bleed on March 10 while she was on her spring break vacation with her boyfriend and other friends in Mexico's Cabo San Lucas. She experienced a headache hours before she fell unresponsive and was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery.
She had previously suffered from intense headaches for years before the internal hemorrhage. It has been unclear how long the tumor was inside Liza Burke’s brain, but her mother said that doctors told the family that it had likely been dormant for years.
Last month, Liza Burke was placed on life support and had apparently made some progress. However, after Liza failed to respond to three rounds of radiation, her family in North Carolina anticipated her eventual passing. They decided earlier in April to bring her home so that she could spend her final days near the beach in Florida.
What symptoms of brain tumor did Liza Burke experience?
22-year-old Liza Burke was initially diagnosed with an arteriovenous malformation, which was later found to be a stage 4 astrocytoma tumor or glioblastoma near her brain stem. Her mother, Laura McKeithen, said in an interview with Channel 2 Action News:
“As they started to try to figure out what was going on – she became less and less responsive. Your brain stem is where everything happens and as a result, that’s why she is not waking up.”
Laura added that Liza had not been able to speak, but she was able to communicate with her family members to some extent.
Fewer than 4% of arteriovenous malformation cases lead to hemorrhages, and only 1% of them lead to death. Though there is no cure for this tumor, surgery may help make the issue manageable.
Since none of the family members knew about the existence of the tumor until last month, they did not take notice of the probable symptoms. However, Laura said that Liza Burke started complaining about headaches and feeling lightheaded in 2019, around the time she started college.
Laura told the Daily Mail that her daughter probably told her four times that she thought something was wrong with her head, and at least thrice Liza told her mother that she felt like she was going to faint. However, Laura thought at the time that it was due to the stress from her studies and lack of sleep. She said:
“I assumed it was just a 20-something girl who is under a lot of pressure. The way she said it - it was never a plea... she never seemed like there was an urgency.”
Laura recalled that her daughter was enjoying her spring break in Mexico, going on a boat ride, cliff diving, and bonfire the day before the brain hemorrhage. However, the next day, Liza Burke experienced a massive headache after finishing a workout at the gym and told her boyfriend that she was going to take a nap. When her boyfriend went to check on her after a few hours, he found Liza unresponsive and immediately rushed her to the hospital.
When Laura first learned about the incident, she was told by doctors that they placed an EVD line into Liza’s brain to drain the fluid. However, they also informed her that they were not sure how much damage Liza sustained to her brain.
In general, people with brain tumors may experience nausea, fatigue, or pain. They can also get rashes, fever, or an elevated pulse rate. Usually, tumors are diagnosed when the patient visits the doctor after experiencing strong headaches. Headaches are a general symptom that may turn severe and can worsen due to early morning activities.
A person with a brain tumor can also experience different types of seizures. Certain medicines can help control or prevent seizures, which are also called convulsions. One can also experience muscle contractions, spasms, or jerks. Additionally, they may lose control of certain bodily functions, such as bladder control.
Liza Burke was reunited with her late sister on April 28
Liza Burke’s family initially created a GoFundMe page for her radiation expenses, but after weeks of fewer responses, the family finally decided to end her treatment on April 17 so that she could live her final days in peace.
Laura, Liza’s mother, posted a journal entry on April 28 to share the news of her daughter's passing. She wrote that Liza has now finally been reunited with her sister Edie, who died due to a rare genetic disorder in 2008.
Laura shared that they dressed Liza in colorful pajamas that were gifted by her boyfriend’s mother. Her brother’s girlfriend, Elli, braided her hair. A few family members and friends came to say their final goodbyes.
Laura informed everyone that celebrations of Liza’s vivid energy are being planned. One of the memorials will be held in Athens by her friends and the other will be held in her hometown of Asheville at a later date. A fund at the Foundation of the Carolinas is also being set up in Liza and Edie’s name to provide educational aid.
