When Peggy Johnson took her first bite of pizza in months, it wasn’t just a meal — it was a milestone.

“I patted myself on the back,” the Gettysburg resident said with a smile. “I was proud of myself and the gains I had made.”

Just months earlier, Peggy could not swallow even a sip of water. Everything she needed for nutrition and medication had to go through a feeding tube. Today, she’s cancer free,enjoying food again and taking pills by mouth.

Peggy’s progress is a testament to her determination, expert care close to home and the generosity of local community leaders whose philanthropic support helped make her recovery possible.

A difficult diagnosis and a refusal to give up

In July 2025, Peggy was diagnosed with throat cancer for the second time. The road ahead was daunting.

She underwent 33 rounds of radiation at the WellSpan Adams Cancer Center, along with five chemotherapy treatments. By the time her cancer treatment ended, swallowing and speaking had become extremely difficult.

“When I first started therapy, everything had to go through a feeding tube,” Peggy explained. “I couldn’t even swallow water.”

In November 2025, she began speech and swallow therapy at the WellSpan Adams Health Center with speech-language pathologist Julie Knouse. What Peggy didn’t realize at the time was that she would also be among the patients benefiting from a powerful therapy tool made possible by local philanthropists.

Bringing specialized therapy closer to home

For years, patients in Adams County who needed advanced tongue and lip therapy often had to travel outside the county to receive care. That changed thanks to the generosity of Ann and Dannie Holsinger of Carroll Valley.

Through their philanthropic support, WellSpan was able to invest in the Iowa Oral Performance Instrument (IOPI), a specialized tool now used at the WellSpan Adams Health Center to support speech and swallowing therapy.

The IOPI is commonly used with patients recovering from stroke, throat or neck cancerand Parkinson’s disease who experience oral weakness.

For Julie Knouse, the tool has been transformative.

“It can work on strengthening tongue and lip strength to improve speech and swallowing outcomes,” Julie said. “Everything else before this tool was resistance against tongue blades or just your own palate, and it was difficult for patients to see their progress. Now they get that instant feedback.”

The device provides visual, measurable data, allowing patients to see their improvement in real time.

“I love numbers,” Julie added. “I’m so grateful to have this tool because it proves to patients that what we’re doing is helping. And it’s nice to see these tools here locally so patients can receive their care right next door to where they live.”

Seeing progress and believing in it

For Peggy, that feedback made all the difference.

Seeing her progress on the IOPI helped her stay motivated through challenging therapy sessions and long recovery days. Slowly, she began to regain strength and confidence.

Just last week, she ate a piece of pizza for the first time since her treatments and took her pills by mouth, a milestone that surprised even Julie when Peggy shared the news.

“I have grandkids I want to see graduate,” Peggy said. “I am cancer free and I can eat again!”

She credits her progress not only to the care she received, but also to her own mindset.

“You have to have the right attitude,” she said. “You have to accept the challenge and want to get back to where you were. I set goals for myself.”

The power of giving; seen firsthand

Ann and Dannie Holsinger recently visited the WellSpan Adams Health Center to see a demonstration of the IOPI and meet both Peggy and Julie.

As they chatted with Peggy before and after the demonstration, Ann was struck by how clearly Peggy spoke, unaware at first of the challenges she had overcome with the help of the new therapy tool.

“It almost chokes you up,” Ann said, “to see what you have contributed and you see the way it helps someone right in front of you.”

She also reflected on why local giving matters so much in Adams County.

“A lot of people that live in this county can’t drive,” Ann shared. “A lot of people are older folks that have to depend on someone else. When you live in Adams County and you only have to come to Gettysburg for care, it’sreally helpful.”

Dannie echoed that sentiment, telling Peggy, “You’re speaking so very clearly. You’d never even know you had speech issues.”

What this means for our community

Peggy’s story is deeply personal — but its impact reaches far beyond one patient.

Because of philanthropic support from community members like the Holsingers, advanced therapy tools like the IOPI are available right here in Gettysburg. That means fewer long drives, less disruption during recovery and more patients receiving the care they need close to home.

This wasn’t just a piece of equipment. It was an investment in people, in dignity, recovery and hope.

As Peggy put it: “We have a jewel here in Gettysburg. I don’t need to go anywhere else. I can’t say enough about the people in this building.”

To learn more about how to support care that changes lives right here in the community, visitwww.WellSpan.org/Philanthropy.