Kathleen Attends WVHAC At Greenbrier Hotel

Kathleen, 87, graduated from the Cadet’s Nurse Corps in 1947 shortly after WWII was over. The Cadet’s Nurse Corps was created in response to the need for more nurses after the United States entered the war. These women were trained to be professional nurses and would treat wounded veterans during their training and after they graduated from the program as well. Kathleen became a nurse shortly after graduating and was promoted to hospital administration within a few years. During the 60’s she was in hospital administration at a small hospital in West Virginia and they sent her every year for 7 years to WVHA meetings at the Greenbrier. She said it is a beautiful place, that she was on track to be promoted to president of the association, but her husband was transferred out of state at the same time, and she naturally followed her family.

Her fondest memory was of being one of only two women who attended West Virginia’s Resident Hospital Association (WVHA) Conference at the famous Greenbrier Hotel several years in a row. Kathleen has not been back to the conference since 1975, and the last time she was funded to go by her profession was 1967. Wish of a Lifetime was happy to send Kathleen and her niece, Elona, back to the Greenbrier Hotel for the first time in over 50 years. The WVHA graciously invited Kathleen and Ilona to attend a portion of their events, where they honored Kathleen’s many years as a member. Elona said, “Kathleen was treated like a queen by everyone everywhere she went for all three days. Thank you all so much for making this a great time for her!”