She hoped to be able to play her own harp again soon but was far too weak from a kidney infection, digestive system failure, and earlier surgery to remove a third of her colon because of cancer.
From her bed at Shawnee Mission Medical Center, she could hear other patients with cancer. “If I ever get well, I will come back and play for these people,” she thought.
Shortly after going home, Wilma was diagnosed with breast cancer, which required a mastectomy and months of reconstructive surgeries. Now she’s cancer free and has even survived a serious car crash. And she has returned to play her harp to patients on the oncology unit“ The fact that the hospital is a Christian hospital had a direct bearing on my treatment,” she says. “I was a mess and I know I wasn’t a very nice person for a while when I felt so bad. But they were just so sweet and caring and considerate and patient – patient beyond belief. I think that had a huge impact on how I progressed.”