‘Fierce’ UGA senior off life support after brain hemorrhage on Mexico trip, friends say
MARCH 29 UPDATE: Preliminary biopsy results show that Liza Burke has a grade 4 astrocytoma tumor, her mom, Laura McKeithen, told McClatchy News.
Known as a glioblastoma, this tumor is “the most malignant, aggressive and common” type of astrocytoma, according to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. The tumor is a “highly aggressive cancer” that makes quick progress and destruction.
McKeithen said she remains hopeful for her daughter’s recovery.
“Exceptions and miracles can happen. So I’m hopeful, especially knowing Liza’s incredible spirit,” she said in a message to McClatchy News.
Burke is undergoing radiation treatments at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida.
MARCH 17 UPDATE: Liza Burke continues making progress toward recovery, her mom, Laura McKeithen, told McClatchy News.
Since being admitted Tuesday, March 14, Burke has begun to smile and open her eyes more, McKeithen said. Her doctors were preparing to remove her brain drain and breathing tube Friday, March 17.
After several tests, McKeithen said the cause of her daughter’s brain bleed has become more uncertain. Instead of an AVM, doctors think the bleeding could have been caused by a growth on her brain stem, which could have been bleeding for a long time.
“It’s still too early to be 100%,” McKeithen said in a message to McClatchy News. “Once the blood clears (which will be weeks), we’ll know for sure.”
For now, Burke will spend most of her time working on rehab exercises, according to McKeithen.
MARCH 15 UPDATE: Liza Burke is still hospitalized at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, as of March 15, but she is making progress toward recovery, her mom, Laura McKeithen, told McClatchy News.
Doctors removed Burke’s temporary pacemaker and took her off all medications except for pain management, McKeithen said. The pressure in her skull is in a good range, and there is nothing draining from her brain.
Burke is breathing on her own, but she is still on her ventilator to ensure her airway stays clear, according to McKeithen. A CT scan showed that things had not gotten worse, and the family is awaiting MRI results.
McKeithen said her daughter’s pupils are reacting to light, and she has started “squeezing hands, wiggling toes and even lifting her head from the pillow.” She lifted her arms to try to push a mouth guard from her mouth.
“This morning the doctor told us to expect some good days and some bad,” McKeithen said. “I would say today is a good day!”
The original story is below.
Just a few months from college graduation, Liza Burke was enjoying her senior year spring break with friends in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
Then, on Friday, March 10, the University of Georgia senior developed a headache she described as a migraine, so she left breakfast and went to her room to rest, Jennifer Ritter, a family friend, told WAGA.
A few hours later, Burke’s friends were unable to wake her, and she was rushed to a hospital.
When the resident of Asheville, North Carolina, arrived at the hospital, Burke was in a comatose state, her mom, Laura McKeithen, told WXIA.
Doctors diagnosed her with a brain bleed caused by an arteriovenous malformation (AVM), the family said in a statement sent to McClatchy News.
An AVM is a tangle of blood vessels that causes arteries and veins to be connected wrong, according to the Mayo Clinic. When these tangles occur in the brain, they can rupture, causing a brain bleed, also known as a hemorrhage — which is what happened to Burke.
Doctors performed emergency surgery, removing part of Burke’s skull, Ritter told WSB. Burke was put on life support.
After spending the weekend in Mexico, Burke and her family made it back to the United States on March 14, McKeithen said in a Facebook message to McClatchy News. Burke was admitted to the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, according to the family’s statement.
McKeithen said the family is hopeful that Burke will recover, and said she is showing signs of responding to her family, according to WXIA.
“I started talking to her and asked her to squeeze my hand she she squeezed my hand. The intensive care unit pretty much lit up. At that point everyone was very happy,” McKeithen told the outlet.
“Liza’s family and friends are extremely grateful for the outpouring of love, support, and generosity from so many during this unimaginably difficult time,” the family said in their statement. “Her mom, Laura McKeithen, and Liza’s family, ask for continued prayers for her recovery.”
Friends described Burke as “genuine, dynamic, playful and fierce,” according to a GoFundMe started by Ritter.
“Ever since Liza was a little girl, I’ve only ever seen her smiling and full of joy, embracing life to its fullest,” a loved one wrote in a Facebook post. “Liza Burke has so much still to give to the world.”
“Liza is extraordinary — a bright, sparkling light,” another loved one posted.
“To some of you she may be a stranger, but to so many on UGA’s campus she is a friend,” another post said.
This story was originally published March 14, 2023 at 11:01 AM with the headline "‘Fierce’ UGA senior off life support after brain hemorrhage on Mexico trip, friends say."
