Resident Survives Tumors With Positive Attitude and a Daughter Who Saved Her Life

As New Lenox resident Liz Corley headed downtown for radiation treatments six straight weeks this year, she did what she so often does and focused on the beauty in life, taking in the sunrise and snapping photos of the approaching Chicago skyline.

A tumor was discovered in Liz’s brain in December 2009, just nine months after having her daughter, Alexis. Her daughter is the ray of sunshine in her life and the motivation to remain positive and keep fighting through the hard times—as well as the reason Liz, 28, says she’s still alive.

“Liz always sees a bright side to everything, like the fact that she doesn’t have to shave her legs, or now uses a lot less shampoo and instead of doing her hair she can just throw on her wig,” her sister, Christina Bettenhausen, says on a benefit website for Liz.

Tonight, a "For the Love of Liz" event will help raise money for Liz.

After Liz gave birth in February 2009, she had terrible migraines, something everyone told her was normal following a pregnancy. But by the end of the year they got so bad that her vision was impaired. She went to an ophthalmologist, who found blood pouring into her eyes from her brain. She ended up at Rush Hospital in Chicago, where the tumor was discovered.

How does she stay positive? The blessing her daughter has been. Doctors told Liz that her postnatal hormones accelerated the tumor’s growth, when otherwise it might not have been found before it was too late.

“My daughter saved my life,” Liz said. “But I can’t have anymore (kids). Realizing that was sad.”

Liz will reach menopause early because of the tumors and her treatment, and will eventually lose her thyroid and pituitary gland functions. She’s already lost her peripheral vision, has problems concentrating and remembering things and spends most of her days sleeping. 

“It limits you a lot,” Liz said during an August day she was spending on the back porch at her home, where she now lives with parents Robert and Sharon. Her vision loss and inability to concentrate has left her homebound, unable to drive or work.

If nothing else, it’s allowed her to spend more time with Alexis, who’s 2 now. She loves to draw, watch cartoons and play on the iPad (known as the babysitter). She’s too young to fully grasp what her mother is going through, but noticed when she was gone in the hospital and still sometimes checks Liz’s bed in the morning to make sure mommy’s home.

Still, though, Liz is a single mother who can’t work, was denied disability benefits and has future medical bills (doctors anticipate tumors returning about every 10 years). Her sister Christina has organized various benefits to help raise money.

The Corleys wouldn’t admit it, but help from the community at these benefits would really just be positive karma for the good deeds the family has done in the past. They were involved with raising money for the Lions Club through a Halloween display at Haines Park and also “adopted” families in the area for Christmas, bringing gifts by the home as the holiday neared.

“It was sad, but it felt good doing something nice,” Liz’s father, Robert, said. “And the whole time you never think something bad will happen to you, but it can.”

“You can either wallow in it or keep going with it,” Sharon added. “She’s a lot stronger than she gives herself credit for.”

IF YOU GO

There are multiple upcoming benefits for Liz Corley. If you are interested in helping, please contact Christina Bettenhausen at Christina@precisetreecare.com or at the benefit hot-line, 815-412-7551.

For the Love of Liz: 7 p.m. to midnight Friday, Sept. 30 at 115 Bourbon Street in Merrionette Park. Tickets are $30 in advance and include food, drinks and live entertainment. There will also be raffles.