Dina D Woodlin
April 2026
Dina D
Woodlin
,
RN
DLP Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center
Johnstown
,
PA
United States
I will always be grateful that I could hold his hand during those final nights, but I am equally grateful to Dina, who stood with us in those sacred, difficult hours.
My father was hospitalized five times as he battled stomach cancer and the many complications that came with it, many related to his feeding tube. This was a long and difficult journey, not only for him but for our entire family.
My dad was a larger-than-life man, with a personality that could fill any room. Cancer tried to take that from him. During his final hospital stay at Conemaugh, we met Dina, a night shift RN, who became a profound source of comfort and care during his last days.
Because of her night shift, we came to know her well in those final evenings. Our family often filled the room, and yet Dina never made us feel like an inconvenience. She was attentive not only to my dad’s medical needs, but also to the emotional weight our family was carrying. She took extra time to check on him—and on us.
One night, my dad experienced deep, unsettling dreams. I believe they were end-of-life visions. He was frightened. But he was not alone. Dina was with him. Her presence in that moment mattered more than words can fully express.
After that difficult night, my daughter and I took turns staying with him, wanting to be nearby in case he needed us, though we already trusted that Dina would care for him with excellence. On the nights we stayed, she showed us such kindness and compassion.
Even during the long, painful nights when he was awake and needed frequent assistance, Dina was there—steady, gentle, and with her good sense of humor. One night was especially hard, with more distressing dreams. Again, Dina stood beside both my father and me as he wrestled with fear and uncertainty about his nearness to death.
I will always be grateful that I could hold his hand during those final nights, but I am equally grateful to Dina, who stood with us in those sacred, difficult hours.
My father left Conemaugh under hospice care and passed away a week later. Our family will forever be thankful for the care Dina provided, especially during the nights when he could have felt most alone.
A nurse like Dina is truly an angel—walking alongside patients and families through life’s hardest moments with compassion, dignity, and grace.
My dad was a larger-than-life man, with a personality that could fill any room. Cancer tried to take that from him. During his final hospital stay at Conemaugh, we met Dina, a night shift RN, who became a profound source of comfort and care during his last days.
Because of her night shift, we came to know her well in those final evenings. Our family often filled the room, and yet Dina never made us feel like an inconvenience. She was attentive not only to my dad’s medical needs, but also to the emotional weight our family was carrying. She took extra time to check on him—and on us.
One night, my dad experienced deep, unsettling dreams. I believe they were end-of-life visions. He was frightened. But he was not alone. Dina was with him. Her presence in that moment mattered more than words can fully express.
After that difficult night, my daughter and I took turns staying with him, wanting to be nearby in case he needed us, though we already trusted that Dina would care for him with excellence. On the nights we stayed, she showed us such kindness and compassion.
Even during the long, painful nights when he was awake and needed frequent assistance, Dina was there—steady, gentle, and with her good sense of humor. One night was especially hard, with more distressing dreams. Again, Dina stood beside both my father and me as he wrestled with fear and uncertainty about his nearness to death.
I will always be grateful that I could hold his hand during those final nights, but I am equally grateful to Dina, who stood with us in those sacred, difficult hours.
My father left Conemaugh under hospice care and passed away a week later. Our family will forever be thankful for the care Dina provided, especially during the nights when he could have felt most alone.
A nurse like Dina is truly an angel—walking alongside patients and families through life’s hardest moments with compassion, dignity, and grace.