Sharing to Help Others: Meet Diane Moniuszko

When Diane Moniuszko comes across something that can help others, her first impulse is to share it with them. This generosity takes several forms and many of them benefit the patients of GBMC’s Sandra & Malcolm Berman Cancer Institute. The Berman Cancer Institute’s patient-centered approach to care, which treats the whole person — mind, body and spirit — resonates deeply with Diane. 

It's care she knows firsthand as a cancer patient. As a volunteer at the Berman Cancer Institute, she has met others who agree with her: the GBMC team’s compassionate caring is something special that patients don’t find elsewhere. 

When she found that a program called the Eden Method helped relieve her own symptoms, she began learning as much as she could about it. A form of therapy, the method is based on acupressure and focused on the body’s energy systems. Today, she volunteers to share the treatment with patients while they are receiving infusion therapy. 

“The benefits are meaningful,” Diane says. “It reduces pain and stress, provides relief from nausea and neuropathy, and often brings deep relaxation. Many patients even fall asleep during the session.” 

Diane finds it especially rewarding to work with first-time patients. “The uncertainty of a cancer diagnosis and treatment can create significant anxiety,” she explains. “Offering comfort during that initial experience can make a lasting difference.” In addition to her volunteer work with individual patients, Diane offers classes in creating a Daily Energy Routine through the Oncology Support Services program of the Berman Cancer Institute. 

The classes, offered to oncology patients and staff, focus on balancing and strengthening the body’s energy systems. “This practice restores the body’s natural energy patterns, which enhances the body’s healing abilities,” she says. “It empowers a person to take an active part in their healthcare journey.” 

When she is in the Sandra R. Berman Pavilion volunteering, she often joins staff huddles, sharing energy techniques with staff. She has heard from several that they continue to benefit from what she has taught them. 

Recently, Diane had the opportunity to make a gift to GBMC. She contributed to both the Wound Care Center capital project and to the Integrative Wellness Program. The Wound Care Center project will relocate the center closer to the hospital's main entrance and expand services to patients. 

The Integrative Wellness Program provides cancer patients with an array of therapies designed to address the side effects of their disease and treatment. The Integrative Medicine team is focused on caring for a patient's mind, body and spirit. Services help prevent and manage symptoms for cancer patients who are experiencing pain, fatigue, depression or anxiety. 

“While conventional medicine plays the leading role in cancer treatment, there is an equally important, though often less visible layer of care,” she explains. “Integrative Medicine and Oncology Support Services work behind the scenes, providing essential therapies that nurture emotional, mental and spiritual well-being.” 

She points out that the programs do not generate revenue for GBMC but are offered at no charge to patients and “integrate seamlessly with traditional medical care, creating a more complete healing experience for patients.” 

Diane’s connection to the GBMC is both personal and professional. Before she became a cancer patient, she worked as a medical technologist in the clinical laboratory, performing diagnostic blood testing. Diane finds her volunteer work even more rewarding, as she can see the immediate benefit to patients. 

Through her generosity – giving both time and treasure – Diane is helping to ensure that patients continue to receive compassionate, patient-centered care that recognizes healing as more than treating a disease and as supporting the full human experience.