Inspirational Feature by J1 Reporter Mary Kate Garriott

22 times hospitalized and she’s still smiling!

Class of 2015’s very own Lizzy Schumacher encourages others to stay positive even when times are tough. Schumacher doesn’t just tell others to do this but practices what she preaches.

Lizzy Schumacher lives with four neurological disorders: Dysautonomia, Periodic Paralysis, Basilar Artery Vasospasm, and Episodic Ataxia. She began to fall ill in August of 2012, her sophomore year. She was diagnosed with Dysautonomia in March of 2013. Schumacher missed nearly three months of school, from the end of September to the middle of November, and then completed the rest of sophomore year in half days.

Junior year came around and Schumacher was able to go to school for half days. She missed about two months of school due to hospitalizations. Schumacher was diagnosed with three more incurable illnesses: Periodic Paralysis, Basilar Artery Vasospasm, and Episodic Ataxia.

Senior year, Schumacher was able to go to Marian for most of the days and missed less than two months of school due to more hospitalizations. Without the positivity Schumacher kept throughout her high school years, she would not have been able to go to as much school as she ended up going her senior year.

“I am able to maintain a positive outlook on life because I realize although I am living with these illnesses, they are part of me, but definitely not who I am,” Schumacher said. Schumacher believes that God has a plan for everyone. She doesn’t know exactly what her plan is, but she does know that she wants to help other people suffering from illness with her story.

Although it was difficult for Schumacher to miss so much school, she had support from her classmates and teachers. Teachers would visit Schumacher to tutor her and help her make up work she missed. “It was hard at times to be away from school because I missed the Marian atmosphere of my teachers and friends, but Marian made accommodations to ensure that I was still included in things with my grade and activities at school,” Schumacher said.

Schumacher was very popular at Marian. She was one of the teacher’s favorite students and one of her classmate’s favorite peers. She was elected class officer all four years and was selected to be the Mistress of Ceremonies for graduation. Schumacher’s application for being a freshman retreat leader was chosen both her junior and senior year, and she was nominated for prom queen her senior year.

Marian taught Schumacher the value of community and sisterhood. She was always connected with her Marian class in school and out. While in the hospital, classmates went to visit her and even sent videos of enthusiasm to send their love.

Schumacher went to Hearts of Marian after school on Wednesdays in the chapel to take time from her life to relax and journal to God. There she developed a stronger relationship with God. “Many times I learned to rely on Him, because He knows what it’s like to bear pain, so He has been my strength through the difficult times,” Schumacher said.

Schumacher has love and encouragement from her three older sisters: Morgan, Amanda, and Emily. “My sisters are my biggest role models and constantly provide me with unfailing love,” Schumacher said. These three older sisters are always looking out their younger sis and know how to cheer her up whenever she is having a bad day.

The person who supports Schumacher the most is her mom. Mrs. Ann Schumacher has never skipped a doctor’s appointment and has always found the best specialized doctors for her daughter.

Mrs. Karen Brown has also played an important role in Schumacher’s life. Brown was the loveable secretary in the office at Marian from the fall of 1999 to 2013; she was one of those people everyone wanted to be friends with because of how much she cared about Marian and the people in it. By the first month of school, Mrs. Brown knew all of the students’ names and recognized all of the parents voices.

Due to cancer, Mrs. Brown had to stop working at Marian. Brown has been a role model to Schumacher. She has shown her how to keep faith and positivity even when battling something miserable. Like Lizzy, Brown has kept a positive outlook through battling her sickness.

Lizzy Schumacher, especially with the help of her parents and sisters, has taken a negative and turned it into a positive. She wants to give back to the world what it has given her and help others to persevere through difficult times. Because of her constant happiness and hope, Schumacher is the definition of an inspirational person.

“I believe that the day I began to look at sadness as a way to create beautiful things, my life changed for the better.”