The ultimate price for motherhood: Woman, 36, forgoes cancer treatment and dies to have the baby girl she desperately wanted

By Joel Christie

PUBLISHED: 11:07 EST, 30 March 2014 | UPDATED: 12:08 EST, 30 March 2014

A New York City mom who chose to continue carrying her child rather than fight a reoccurring cancer tumor has died just weeks after giving birth to a healthy baby girl.

And to honor the courage of Elizabeth Joice, 36, her husband has shared the story of a woman who gave up everything to be a mom, if only for a moment.

Born in Montclair, New Jersey, Liz - as she was known - was fiercely independent from the get-go, following the death of her mother and subsequent disappearance of her father.

A real estate agent, she had been dating her boyfriend Max for two years when, in September 2010, doctors called to say they had found some suspicious growths in her lungs.

R.I.P.: Doctors told Elizabeth Joice that having a child was impossible following her cancer treatment, however after falling pregnant she pressed ahead, despite all the warning signs. Tragically she died six weeks after giving birth

R.I.P.: Doctors told Elizabeth Joice that having a child was impossible following her cancer treatment, however after falling pregnant she pressed ahead, despite all the warning signs. Tragically she died six weeks after giving birth

Described as strong, independent and gracious, Elizabeth Joice passed away on March 9. She was 36

Described as strong, independent and gracious, Elizabeth Joice passed away on March 9. She was 36

Soul mate: Elizabeth Joice pictured here with her husband, Max, who has chosen to share her incredible story

Soul mate: Elizabeth Joice pictured here with her husband, Max, who has chosen to share her incredible story

Liz strapped on her boxing gloves and started punching through the wall of her Upper East Side apartment.

She turned around to find Max standing behind her, and said to him that, should the MRI determine anything 'serious', she was not going to fight.

'If this is going to be bad, I'm not going to do anything,' she recalled in an interview in early 2013.

'I'm just going to cash it all in and go partying and call it a day.'

Max ran into the kitchen and started fumbling around, with Liz thinking: 'This is the worst possible time for you to go and get food.'

But he returned 45 seconds later and got down on bended knee, producing an engagement ring he had fashioned out of tin foil.

'I said, ''You don't have the option not to fight'' and proposed to her then,' Max told The New York Post.

'We got married a month later.'

The precious ring: In an interview last year, Liz Joice shows the engagement ring husband Max made out of tin foil seconds before proposing

The precious ring: In an interview last year, Liz Joice shows the engagement ring husband Max made out of tin foil seconds before proposing

Max and Elizabeth Joice were married in New York in 2010

Max and Elizabeth Joice were married in New York in 2010

Liz was diagnosed with a Sarcoma.

She endured four rounds of chemotherapy, a surgery and even more chemo to make sure the tumor was eradicated.

She was declared cancer-free for three years but still longed to have a baby, even though doctors strongly advised against it.

Undeterred, the couple moved to Roosevelt Island - a narrow island in the East River between Manhattan and Queens - in June 2013 to prepare to raise a family.

 

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Within days, Liz discovered she was pregnant.

'I totally blew a gasket,' Max told The Post.

'They said there was no chance this was happening — and here it was happening.'

But only a month later, they received the most terrible news: the tumor was back.

Doctors removed the mass with another surgery, but because she was pregnant, Liz couldn't undergo full-body MRI scans, so her oncologist couldn't see whether the cancer was growing.

Her due date was set for March 4, but doctors couldn't wait that long.

In January, a surgeon performed a C-section and Lily Anne Joice was safely brought into the world.

While doctors said it was all-but impossible, Liz and Max fell pregnant

While doctors said it was all-but impossible, Liz and Max fell pregnant

It should have been the happiest time of her life, but Liz's pregnancy was soon met with news that her tumor had reappeared

It should have been the happiest time of her life, but Liz's pregnancy was soon met with news that her tumor had reappeared

However Liz's health almost immediately declined as her cancer spread, with tumors invading her right lung, heart and abdomen.

'We said our goodbyes,' Max said.

'It was like something out of a movie. We sat there and cried. We tried to tell stories, talk about all the great things.'

'Liz came home five days after Lily was born,' Max said.

'That one night at home was all we had.'

Liz was so sick she needed to return to hospital, sister-in-law Judith Joice said.

'For the next six weeks, she fought,' Judith said.

'With so much to live for, she fought harder than her doctors had ever seen someone fight, overcoming the odds to spend just one more day with Lily and Max.  And another. Then another.

'But the struggle could only last for so long. 

'Liz had given it all she had, but could not fight anymore.'

Elizabeth died on March 9.

'Liz had this way about her,' Max said.

'She had this positive energy that made you want to be the best version of yourself. She was intolerant of self-pity.'

Precious: Lily Anne Joice was delivered via C-section in January

Precious: Lily Anne Joice was delivered via C-section in January

Premature: Baby Lily was delivered early so that Liz could continue her cancer treatment

Premature: Baby Lily was delivered early so that Liz could continue her cancer treatment

Liz was living a surreal duality, enjoying and celebrating Lily's arrival into the world, while confronting the reality she was incredibly sick

Liz was living a surreal duality, enjoying and celebrating Lily's arrival into the world, while confronting the reality she was incredibly sick

Safe and sound: Lily Anne Joice was born happy and healthy in January

Safe and sound: Lily Anne Joice was born happy and healthy in January

Liz and Max welcome their daughter, Lily

Liz and Max welcome their daughter, Lily

'Liz's magic rubbed off on Lily,' Max said.

'She's beautiful and remarkable. It provides me with the strength to get through this.'

A fundraiser has been set up on website You Caring in order to help the single father and little Lily, with the hopes of getting $50,000.

So far almost $9,000 has already been raised.

A documentary called 40 Weeks, directed by Christopher Henze, will also soon be released about the Joice's journey.

A documentary on the journey of Elizabeth Joice, as well as that of her husband Max and daughter Lily, is currently be finished and prepared for release

A documentary on the journey of Elizabeth Joice, as well as that of her husband Max and daughter Lily, is currently be finished and prepared for release

See an interview with Elizabeth Joice from 2013 here

SKY and LIVI from SKY and LIVI on Vimeo.


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She should have saved her own life first-then she would have been around to raise her child! Instead she left an orphan! In the future her husband will re-marry and she gets a stepmom who may abuse her. Unbelivable!

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The video above feels so immediate, and Elizabeth seems so full of life and beautiful, that it is hard to believe she is gone. What a loss. My heart goes out to her husband and baby daughter.

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The video above feels so immediate, and Elizabeth is so full of life and beautiful, that it is hard to believe she is gone. What a loss. My heart goes out to her husband and baby daughter.

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Beautiful lady inside and out.

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I have to agree with the doctors,,,,,for the fact the child wont have her natural mother or husband his wife,,,,seems rather sad,,,,,RIP,,,,

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Why is the husband asking for donations to raise the child? If he can't afford it, they shouldn't have had a baby.

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What's the point?! If she's not around to raise the child...

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May Lily know her Mother's strength and courage.

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Selfish. So instead of thinking about what would be best for her child-to-be, she opted to risk her own life to have a baby she'd more than likely leave without a mother. I would say 'congrats on your bravery,' but this woman doesn't deserve it.

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You're a idiot. How is she selfish when she has chose to give life to another person, rather than save her own? This baby now gets to have a whole shot at life, because of its mother. The mother lived and died for her child, and the child will have a loving father to help raise it. You will no doubt will die in a pool of debt and candy bars

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Very, very sad, all the way around. God bless you Elizabeth. And a special thought for Max and the baby.

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