Purse stolen from Holy Hill leaves cancer patient hoping for its return

Holy Hill theft leaves woman without medical items

A Waukesha County woman battling breast cancer hopes a change of heart will lead to the return of her purse, which was stolen from Holy Hill and contained critical medical information.

HUBERTUS, Wis. - A Waukesha County woman says items critical to her breast cancer care were taken after her purse was stolen from Holy Hill following church services last week.

What we know:

Mary Grace North said she accidentally left her purse in the café at Holy Hill after attending church last Sunday. With help from staff, she later obtained surveillance images showing the person she believes took the bag.

North said the past year has been especially difficult after she was diagnosed with breast cancer in February.

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"You don’t know the person behind the stuff – what they’ve been through," said North, purse stolen from Holy Hill. "This whole year I have been in and out of the hospital. I did my chemo, I have my two surgeries."

She said church had been one of the few places she found peace during treatment, but that changed after she returned home from Mass.

"I tell my daughter we will go shopping, and then I realize – wait where’s my bag? I don’t have my bag!" North said.

North said she called the café to see if her purse had been turned in.

What they're saying:

"Called the cafeteria and asked them if they found it or if somebody turned it in," she said.

Instead, she believes someone took it.

"Someone got my bag, and did not return it," North said.

North filed a report with the Washington County Sheriff's Office and received surveillance photos showing someone grabbing her bag.

Inside the purse, she said, was $2,000 in cash for Christmas gifts, cards, her driver’s license and what she described as the most important item – her medical port card.

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"My card for my cancer," North said.

The card contains information critical to her cancer care in emergency situations.

"What I’ve been through, for me, it’s like I believe it will show up," she said.

Big picture view:

North said she does not want the person arrested, but instead hopes they have a change of heart.

"I don’t feel really that she’s bad – but if she can just return it, then everything is fine," North said. "Be sensitive of other people’s feelings."

The sheriff’s office said the case remains under investigation. North said anyone who comes across her purse should bring it directly to the sheriff’s department.