Elizabeth Bessert remembers her childhood a bit differently than most. When Bessert was 3 years old, she, as many other children might, fell off a slide. However, unlike many other children, the pain persisted for three years. On October 10, 1997, at just 6 years old, she was diagnosed with a rare form of stage 4 bone cancer (primitive neuroectodermal tumor) in her left arm that had metastasized to her right lung.
Bessert underwent treatment at the University of Chicago with the late Dr. James Nachman. He treated her aggressive cancer with surgery, four different types of chemotherapy, high-dose radiation and a stem cell transplant. About 28 years later, Bessert still remembers the good, the bad, and the ugly.
“From being pulled away from family members before surgeries, central line placement, hair falling out – which I pulled out myself – eating so much Popeyes fried chicken to not eating at all, I remember it all,” she said.
She says the best advice she can give to families getting this heartbreaking diagnosis is to remember that kids still want to feel like a kid at the end of the day.
“Let them be a child, because you just don’t know day by day what’s going to happen. It can obviously be a devastating and sad time for everyone, but try not to be negative. Remain upbeat and positive while going through it. We would play video games in the hospital and in the halls. We met other kids in the hospital, and we all became like a big family. We even had Easter egg hunts. That Easter before my birthday, I had a white blood cell count of zero. My mom put a mask on me and made an Easter egg hunt out in the courtyard at the hospital,” Bessert said.
Bessert was told she only had a 10% chance of survival with her form of cancer. She was too sick to go to school, missing all of first grade and most of second grade. By the time she returned, she was far behind all of her classmates.
“I was told by educational professionals that I was so behind, I would never graduate from high school or go to college. If it were not for my family constantly advocating for me, I would not be where I am today. I had many tutors and teachers that advocated and encouraged me to push through day after day,” Bessert said.
Despite all the doubts, Bessert not only finished high school but also went on to earn her master's degree. In 2013, she graduated on time from University of Illinois at Chicago with a degree in psychology. She was then accepted into the Erikson Institute's Graduate School in Chicago, where she studied child development.
After her own experience, Bessert knew she wanted to help people. What stood out most was the sense of community: people volunteering their time, making hot meals, going over different benefits and financials, and a million other ways to show support.
“Giving back to others has stuck with me all of my life, especially since my cancer treatment. Serving others is something that is not only important to me, but it is my purpose in life,” she said.
As an adult, Bessert has helped at many places including the American Cancer Society, Camp Quality (a cancer camp), the University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital, Diabetes Conferences through the Kovler Diabetes Center, NorthShore Health Center’s Hospital, Gilda’s Club Chicago, various elementary and special needs schools, and GiGi’s Playhouse National Down Syndrome Achievement Centers.
While working with children and families has been fulfilling, it has ultimately led Bessert to her next chapter of teaching.
“Throughout my career of working with children and families, I have met some amazing individuals, in which today I can call colleagues and friends of mine. They have believed in me and have seen my true passion for the child development field. I have now been able to teach at the college level these past three years as a child development professor at Olivet Nazarene University. It has been so unbelievably rewarding,” she said.
Bessert now spends her free time outside in the garden that her husband built for her. She also enjoys cooking, spending time with her dog, Bella, and traveling. She had wanted to travel for as long as she can remember.
“When I left first grade, we were learning about Italy. We were learning about Pompeii and volcanoes. I was only there a few weeks, and I was so mad that I had to leave to go have my treatment because I really wanted to learn about these volcanoes and Pompeii,” she said.
Bessert’s grandmother showed her pictures and promised her a trip to Italy when she graduated eighth grade. She eventually got to see Pompeii in person. Bessert and her husband have continued to travel, with plans to see the world.
Her strenuous treatment left her with many side effects, such as chemo brain, hearing loss, endocrine failure, lung disease, diabetes, neuropathy, spinal issues, and liver, heart and kidney problems. However, she wants people to know she is more than someone who had cancer. She is grateful to still have a beautiful life worth living.
“I try my best to live a happy life through good and bad days with my medical obstacles. Cancer can change your life, sometimes for the better. You learn what is most important in life and live by exactly that. Laughter, determination, my fight, family, friends and my most amazing and supportive husband keep me going daily. I think about how blessed I am to be here alive each and every day,” Bessert said.
