Neurosurgeon talks brain tumor warning signs after UGA student dies following diagnosis

A University of Georgia student who suffered a brain hemorrhage while on spring break in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, passed away Friday after being diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor. Liza Burke initially thought she had a headache and tried to sleep it off, but about five hours later her friends found her unconscious while on vacation in March, according to her family. Eventually, she was taken to the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville where doctors discovered that she had a brain tumor.

[Winter-]

I too had Menigiomas, first was the size of a lemon. My symptoms kept getting worse and I was ignored by doctors being too young. My symptoms got so bad, I went blind while driving and almost hit a car head on. I could no longer see with migraines. An mri was done and they found a massive Meningioma 4 inches long, 3 inches high, 2 inches into my brain on the front right temporal lobe. I had a craniotomy and the damage was so bad I have a bovine meninges implanted and a plate now in the side of my head that looks like a massive dent. Any bone a tumor touches and attaches to bone must be removed to prevent metastasis. It was a hard recovery from memory, speech, and more but I pulled through and still alive. It took me 1.5- 2 years to almost be normal. I got my sight back when it was taken out. I still have bleeding in the brain, but a small amount. I formed a second menigioma front left temporal lobe just above my eye and a new treatment is available without cranitomy.If your reading this and suffering from a current head tumor, look into Gamma Knife. I got the pin point radiation last Jan and my tumor has shrunk with no real side affects. and went home the same day. I felt like I got sun burned on my skin for a week due to it being so close to the bone. I am now being used in a study to premote the device as I am a living side by side comparison of cranitomy vs gamma knife on damage and quality of life.

[canadafragrancereviewerdia]

I saw her Mom talking about her weeks ago. I thought she was getting better. I am heartbroken for her Mom. She was such a beautiful young lady. Prayers for her and the rest of the family.

[SmokeyTreats]

My dear sister died from one several years ago. Her boss at Humana noticed something in her step as she walked by one day & urged her to get checked. Less than a year later she passed.

[furrycat]

This is such a devastating disease, so terrible. When I was on my Pediatrics rotation in med school, had a 5 year old patient who presented to us with a sudden lazy eye. The paediatrician I was working with ordered an MRI saying it was weird how quickly it came on but then the eye specialist CANCELLED THE MRI!!! Without telling her, because he thought it was just a community paediatrician overreacting about a simple lazy eye. But my preceptor knew her patients very well and just knew things weren’t right about this case and after she found out it was cancelled (delayed the kid’s MRI by 4 months!!) she was able to beg a radiologist to put him back on the list and by the time we got the results of glioblastoma, he only had about 6 months left to live and oncology didn’t even think we could do anything for him to slow it down because of the deep deep location it was in. I still think about that kiddo every time I see a lazy eye. I pray that he beat the odds he was given!! This stuff is absolutely a devastating disease!!

[giovanirafael]

This is too sad.. she was so young, so beautiful with so much to live for suddenly a brain tumor ruined everything. This makes me think that in the blink of an eye life can end so suddenly 💔 My condolences to her family, may she rest in peace. 🕊️🤲🏽🖤

[tech-bore]

Not that I disagree with the advice, especially listening to your body, but simply saying "live a healthy lifestyle" is such a generic recommendation that it seems annoying and a bit insulting. It's like telling people to "just be happy".

[auburnt]

my mom just passed away from this. it's terrible. terrible. so sorry that this young woman fell victim to same disease.

[zoftigbeatnik]

My husband was diagnosed with 7 brain tumors. He started having bad headaches and vomiting plus losing his memory. He was rushed to the hospital after getting lost going to work. Thats when they found the tumors. He was diagnosed in Nov of 07 and died in Jan of 08. If you have severe headache, vomiting get it checked our immediately. It could save your life.

[gerardfenn]

Last I heard was a hopeful interview with the mother a few weeks ago. This is such a damn tragedy.

[Sunflower]

Beautiful girl, so sorry for the family. She was old enough to understand what was happening..that is what hurts as a mother
Cancer is so evil. I hate it. The signs the doc mentioned are spot on. If you tend to have migraines but it does not ever go away it is a sign. For example, You can have a pain level 8 take meds and it stays at a 4 for weeks. Bad signs. Pain levels in hospital go 1 to a 10.
If you start throwing up and never had that symptom before that is a change. Get checked out. Those hand eye coordination tests they do at the neurologist appt never showed anything . Press for a MRI. They will think oh! She had one 3 years ago..not necessary.. its BS. Go with your gut. They can be wrong. Trust me.

[mariequinn]

Is science studied the WiFi we subject ourselves to???

[evanrandall]

A freaking big tumor was found attached to my brain stem as a teenager. Another kid Shane in my neighborhood had the exact same thing. Now my tumors are numbering 5 as of 2 years ago and Shane's killed him in 2018

[Itall]

I m sure this woman knew something was wrong with her, but these doctors did not do their jobs. Happened to my 5 year daughter with headaches for 1 year. Took to every possible doctor that I could think of, oh was allergy, oh was sinus infection, oh was migraine, oh SHE DID NOT WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL and lots of meds. One night I saw my child hitting her head on the wall, craying in pain. She described it was like a knife cutting into her head. I m going to say how crazy I became. I took her to her pediatrician demanding he do something. To make a long e story short. She was dx with brain cancer. The oncologist at memorial Sloan, asked me, why did I take so long to take her there? I gave the name and number of the pediatrician, I m sure they called him because the next day the pediatrician called me to apologize. I m not going to tell everyone what I told him because YouTube will block me. But I m sure all of you have an ideia.

[brittanymorgan]

Been following this case and it is so heartbreaking! Devastating that she was so young, on vacation, and took a nap just for a headache. I sure hope she died with dignity and no pain.

[bzmanatt]

Sad a young beautiful woman passed away like she did! Her whole life was ahead

[angeldreamzzz]

My older sister was diagnosed with a brain tumor last year and it’s been really difficult for all of us especially her. In order for her to be able to afford treatments she has to work through chemo ): I wish I was able to fix it

[sallyb]

The saddens me to my core… My heartfelt sympathies to all who know and love her.

[carmendaniel]

So sad. RIP Liza. ❤ too young to die. Breaks my heart. Condolences to her family and loved ones.🌻

[crystaljackson]

This is so sad praying for her family and friends🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[cc]

Hi everyone currently I have a nephew battling cancer in the head as well and let me tell you, never trust your local doctors or hospital please seek a specialist. With all due respect this young lady was treated badly my nephew was treated the same way he didn't needed radiation nor chemo if anything he's lucky to still be alive, long story short he didn't even needed chemo nor radiation right away the doctors effed up. In the end we moved him to a specialist in MD anderson Houston tx. 🙏 sending prayers for this family.