Support a 911 Lifeline: Elizabeth's Cancer Battle

Hi everyone,

My name is Brieanna, and I’m asking for your help on behalf of someone who means the world to me — Elizabeth Johnson, my close friend, coworker, and one of the strongest women I’ve met yet.

Elizabeth is a 911 dispatcher for Mercer County, Ohio, a steady voice in the chaos — the one people turn to when their world is falling apart. But now, she’s the one facing something unimaginable. And she needs us.

Her Diagnosis

What started as a routine scan for something unrelated turned into a nightmare. Doctors found a mass in her neck — and after painful biopsies and follow-ups, Elizabeth was diagnosed with Papillary Thyroid Cancer, the kind that carries the BRAF V600E mutation, which makes it aggressive and fast-spreading.

On April 18, she underwent what we thought would be a 4-hour surgery. Instead, it became a six-hour ordeal. Her surgeon discovered the cancer had already spread far beyond what anyone expected — into her trachea, larynx, vocal cord nerves, and lymph nodes, including areas near her jugular and clavicle. It’s been confirmed as Stage 4 cancer.

He told her if they had waited even a month longer, it would have been catastrophic.

Her Recovery & Complications

Elizabeth was supposed to stay one night in the hospital. She ended up staying 12 days due to severe complications, including a near-fatal calcium crash that caused her entire body to seize in excruciating pain. Her parathyroid glands, which regulate calcium and heart function, were impacted during surgery, and her body couldn’t retain calcium. She came within moments of a heart attack.

Now, she’s home — but on a strict medication and supplement routine just to function. She’s being monitored constantly. She can barely speak. Her vocal cords were damaged during surgery while trying to remove cancer from the surrounding nerves. As of now, she can only whisper — and may need vocal cord repair surgery to have a chance at getting her voice back.

This isn’t just emotional. Her job as a 911 dispatcher depends on her voice. She literally may not be able to return to the work she loves.

Her Family

Elizabeth and her husband Louis are raising four daughters — three school-aged, and one who is disabled and completely dependent on them. Louis has been her rock, taking care of the girls, working, and being by her side every step of the way.

But they’re exhausted. Elizabeth has used up all her sick and vacation time because of appointments, hospital stays, and recovery. They’re trying to stay afloat, but the medical bills are piling up — and there’s more treatment ahead.

What’s Next

In the coming months, Elizabeth will begin radioactive iodine treatments (RAI). Her doctors originally thought she’d need two rounds — now they’re saying at least three, maybe four, possibly followed by traditional radiation or chemo depending on how far the cancer has spread.

The worst part? They can’t start any treatment for another 6+ weeks because her body is still healing. That means the cancer is likely still growing in her body right now, and we just have to wait. It’s terrifying.

Why I'm Asking for Help

If you know Elizabeth, you know she is always the one taking care of everyone else. She’s the friend who shows up with coffee and a hug. She’s the dispatcher who stays calm when no one else can. She’s the mom who pushes through no matter how tired she is. She’s the person who never asks for anything.

But now, she needs us.

Please consider donating anything you can — no amount is too small. Your donation will help:

Cover medical bills and prescriptions

Support their family while Elizabeth can’t work

Provide stability for their daughters

Help pay for travel, upcoming treatments, and possibly vocal cord surgery

Give Elizabeth time and space to heal without the weight of financial stress

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading this and considering a donation. If you can’t give financially, please share this with others, send a prayer, or leave a kind message. It all matters.

Elizabeth has been the voice of strength for so many. It’s time we speak up for her.

With love,

Brieanna