Lifetime award presented to Sr. Trinita Eddington, OP By Renee Rollins
CHICAGO — The Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA) announced June that Sister Mary Trinita Eddington, OP, of St. Dominic Health Services, has received CHAs 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award.
The award was presented at CHA’s 92nd Catholic Health Assembly in Chicago during June. The Lifetime Achievement Award honors recipients for a lifelong commitment and lifetime contributions to the ministry.
Sister Eddington is being honored for her 50 years of service, beginning as a staff nurse for St. Dominic Hospital, Jackson, Miss., and later in various administrative roles at the hospital and its parent, St. Dominic Health Services.
Currently, she is working as a family nurse practitioner and administrator with St. Dominic Community Health Clinic, which provides primary health care to the homeless and working poor.
“After 35 years serving as the vice president of nursing in a hospital setting, I was ready for a change and felt challenged to pursue what I knew was a great need—and that was to provide health care to the poor, homeless, uninsured, and vulnerable in a very poor segment of the city,” she said regarding her move in 1996 to the clinic on West Capitol Street in Jackson.
The clinic has successfully connected with more than 50 community organizations to better serve the Jackson community, ensuring that patients receive needed health care services in an efficient manner. That great need has been proven by the clinic’s solid following of 1,800 clients and a 75 percent follow-up rate.
Sister Eddington’s work at the clinic is only a small portion of her overall contribution to the Catholic health care ministry. She is an active member of the ministry, serving as a consultant, board member, volunteer, and teacher for multiple organizations, not only in Jackson but nationally and internationally.
She is involved with a multitude of charitable organizations, including Stewpot, Prison Fellowship, Mental Health Association, United Way, Habitat for Humanity, Mississippi Department of Health, the American Red Cross, Catholic Charities of Jackson, Gateway Mission, Salvation Army, and the local fire department.
Adding to her contributions to the ministry, she has had a great impact on the lives of others. Sister Eddington serves as a mentor and provides leadership around the world by instructing people from Switzerland, China, Russia, Spain, Canada, and Africa on how to establish primary care for the underserved in their communities.
Her leadership and dedication to the ministry is further demonstrated by her service on the boards of directors of St. Dominic Health Services, Community Health Services-St. Dominic, Inc., St. Dominic Hospital, St. Catherine’s Village, Mississippi Food Network, Hospice Ministries, Human Participation Protection for Research Investigational Review Board, and First Intermed Corporation.
Sister Eddington accepted her award at an awards banquet during the CHA convention that also honored recipients of CHA’s Achievement Citation award for outstanding, innovative programming; the Sister Mary Concilia Moran Award for a visionary leader; and the Midcareer Award, which recognizes remarkable achievement in the recipient’s field. (To read more about more about Sister Trinita Eddington’s background and life ministry, visit the Latest News section at stdom.com.)
