SURVIVOR SPOTLIGHT
Liz Huerta: A Glimpse of Hope – From Patient to Advocate.
By Christine Lollar
Never in her wildest dreams did Liz Huerta imagine she would become a lifeline for thousands of women and men facing the daunting journey of breast cancer.
Each year, nearly 14,000 people turn to Links for Life for support, services, and a sense of community. For many, Liz is the first face they see—the first glimpse of hope when everything feels uncertain. As the Patient Advocate Manager, Liz ensures no one has to navigate breast cancer alone.
With over 20 years of healthcare experience—including six in oncology—Liz has spent the last two years at Links for Life making a lasting impact. But her connection to the work goes far beyond her professional background.
“When I came to Links in 2023, it felt like home,” Liz shares.
A mother of three CHILDREN (Giselle, Nayeli, and Bernardo), Liz brings both professional and deeply personal insight to her role. In 2016, after undergoing a hysterectomy, she was diagnosed with Arnold-Chiari Malformation, a rare and debilitating condition in which brain tissue extends into the spinal canal. It turned her life upside down. Liz lost the ability to speak, sit, and walk. Her two-year battle included multiple craniotomies, long hospital stays, and intensive physical and speech therapy.
“I’m the oldest child—the caregiver,” Liz recalls. “My parents were immigrants. I helped pay bills and navigate life. Suddenly, I couldn’t care for myself or my kids. My youngest was only four. They shaved my head more than once. It took more than a year to grow back. That experience left me with immense compassion for what others go through.”
She also learned the power of vulnerability. “It’s okay to ask the questions you’re afraid to ask—and to be afraid of the truthful answers.”
That honesty, grit, and lived experience are what patients connect with. Liz doesn’t just work at Links for Life—she embodies its mission. When she shares her story with those facing treatment, something powerful happens. “There’s an intimate exchange that takes place. They know they can trust me—because I truly understand what they’re going through.”
She understands the trauma of surgeries, the exhaustion of chemo, the weight of radiation, and the courage it takes to put one foot in front of the other.
At Links for Life, Liz coordinates English and Spanish support groups, facilitates mammography and biopsy referrals, and staffs mobile breast screening events throughout the region.
Last year alone, Liz has helped provide: 256 breast screenings, five biopsies, and two women were diagnosed with breast cancer. She oversaw 93 survivors per month in the nutrition and grocery cards program. Supplying 750 grocery cards to survivors in active breast cancer treatment and 593 survivors and family members who attended the English and Spanish support groups.
Her work is vital. Her presence is healing. And her story is a powerful reminder that behind every diagnosis is a person who deserves compassion, care, and hope. Liz Huerta epitomizes what Links for Life stands for—hope, strength, and unwavering support for those facing the challenges of breast cancer.
Christine Lollar is a Links for Life Board Member and Regional Director of Grants for Adventist Health.
