Revd Diane Trinkaus has been a non-denominational Christian minister for 15 years. Upon graduation from high school, Diane spent 8 years a member of the Sisters of Saint Joseph order of nuns.
After leaving the order, Diane worked for 32 years as a public school educator; and she was honored with the prestigious Empire State Excellence in Teaching Award.
Following her 1989 diagnosis of breast cancer, Diane turned to painting as a connection to her spiritual self, a spiritual practice she continues to today. Her experience as a 34-year cancer survivor has made her uniquely qualified for her work as a volunteer at the Hudson Valley Hospital infusion center. At this center, she has been able to offer emotional support and spiritual guidance to patients as they face their cancer diagnoses and chemotherapy treatment. She has also volunteered at Hudson Valley Hospital for a powerful national cancer advocacy program called No One Dies Alone, or NODA.
Diane is now on her sixth year as guest lecturer at the Utica College School of Nursing. Her course, Spirituality in Nursing, focuses on guiding future caregivers toward serving the physical and spiritual needs of their patients; while also nourishing their own spiritual well-being.
