Trudy Busch Valentine is the Democratic Candidate for Missouri’s Senate seat, and she is truly the best candidate for the job. Although her name evokes thoughts of the Anheuser-Busch company, her character goes much further than that. Valentine has a lifelong passion for caring for others, which we can see through her time as a nurse, mother, and supporter of children’s causes. After volunteering as a candy striper at a local hospital when she was thirteen years old, Valentine discovered a passion for nursing and service that has lasted her entire life. Valentine attended Saint Louis University, where she earned her nursing degree in 1980. Following her graduation, she worked at the Salvation Army Residence for Children, where she focused on serving vulnerable and homeless children.

 

Additionally, Valentine has a strong faith based background. She pursued an education at Aquinas Institute of Technology, where she attained a Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies, and she cites her faith and Jesuit education as fundamental to her values and her dedication to service.

 

Valentine is passionate about healthcare, not only because of her background as a nurse, but also because of misfortunes that have affected her family. Valentine’s husband died early of cancer, and her son suffered from an opioid addiction that ended with his death. These tragic events continue to propel her passion for healthcare and the opioid epidemic. Valentine has the character and drive to work for Missourians in Washington.