Know Your Neighbor
Local woman finds success in her flowers.
FELIZABETH LOFTON, OR being strong through adversary is something she is particularly good at. This Louisiana girl moved to Maud, Texas, in 1997 to get her children out of the big city of Shreveport and into a smaller town. “Maud had a Mayberry feel to it,” she said. “I liked that the classroom settings and small-town atmosphere.”
Elizabeth worked for Albertson’s Floral Department off and on for 5 to 6 years at multiple locations, ultimately becoming the department manager for the location on State Line Avenue. Throughout the years, she also did freelance work for weddings and other events for longtime customers from Louisiana.
In 2011, Elizabeth had a string of health issues. She had a minor surgery which left her feeling less than well.
“I just felt ill. There really was no other way to describe it,” she said.
Elizabeth’s mother was a nurse when she was young.
“We had to be near death before she would take us to the hospital,” she said.
Still, Elizabeth could not shake the feeling that something wasn’t right. She struggled with the decision of going to the hospital when finally, she remembered that her birth mother had gotten very ill as well.
“I knew that she did not really take care of herself, but she also had cancer,” Elizabeth said. “So, with that on my mind and just that feeling of something being wrong, I had to go to the hospital.”
Her fear was confirmed sitting in the emergency room. She was diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma, more commonly known as kidney cancer. From that moment, Elizabeth felt that she was at the mercy of others. She began looking for an oncologist and a clinic where she could start fighting back against her cancer.
“I WOULD LOVE TO HELP THOSE WHO WERE ONCE IN MY POSITION; HAVING CANCER AND NOT HAVING THE MEANS TO SEE THE APPROPRIATE PEOPLE. I JUST WOULDN’T WANT ANYONE TO GO THROUGH THAT.” —Elizabeth Lofton, florist
She encountered one obstacle after another and ultimately found herself looking to friends and family for help.
“That was probably one of the most traumatic times of my life. Knowing I had the “C” word, and looking for help,” she said.
Within two weeks, Elizabeth was seen at MD Anderson in Houston and she was out of surgery. She had a partial nephrectomy, where the surgeon removes the tumor and a small portion of the kidney. She was fortunate enough that she did not have to do any type of radiation or chemotherapy treatments as a follow up.
“I remember asking my doctor about that and about my other kidney. I just asked him ‘Do I have to worry about my other kidney?’ He looked right at me and without taking a breath he said, ‘The cancer won’t go to your other kidney. It will go to your lung,” she recalled.
By this time in her journey it is 2012 and she had met Suki O’Neal and learned about the work she was doing with a local nonprofit Friends for A Cause. She remembered how helpless she felt when she received her diagnosis to when she got the “all clear” from her doctor and just how stressful it all was.
“I would love to help those who were once in my position; having cancer and not having the means to see the appropriate people,” she said. “I just wouldn’t want anyone to go through that.”
Elizabeth is a member of the Friends for A Cause foundation, and a regular vendor at their events.
“I also sell Rodan + Fields Cosmetics, so I often set up as a vendor at fundraising events,” she said. “I haven’t done much lately, but I do attend their yearly fundraiser, Girls Giftaway, hosted by Friends for A Cause.”
The local nonprofit started out by benefiting local cancer patients who needed help with gas, lodging or other bills. The foundation has grown into a certified 501(c)3 nonprofit and services a variety of community needs while staying true to their mission of helping cancer patients.
Due to her health issues at the time, Elizabeth decided to stop working full time and travel with her husband on occasion while continuing to work freelance at her own pace.
In 2019, she opened a florist shop in partnership with someone else. The Flowerroom Florist and Gifts was born. After being there for about 6 months, she decided to open a place all her own.
“I am so grateful for being able to open my own place, but I could not have done without support from my friends and family,” she said. “Especially from my friend, DeAnn Reed. We had only met about a month before opening my shop and she has been here from day one.”
Her shop is located on Texas Boulevard in Texarkana where she offers a variety of floral arrangements, unique gifts, and a current favorite, Tubbs Extreme King Cakes from her hometown of Bossier City, Louisiana.
She also has some advice when it comes to picking the right floral arrangements.
“Choose a style that best describes you and/or the occasion,” Elizabeth said. “You want your florals and plants to be healthy.”
She also recommends building a relationship with your florist so that he/she understands your likes and dislikes. ■