Filipino nurses celebrate 25 years of service
Six Filipino nurses are celebrating their 25 years of service at the Trust.
Recruited in the Philippines, Lowela, Rosemarie, Maria, Rosanna, Helen and Crispina travelled to London before finding out that they would be working in Cheltenham.
The group are still in touch with their cohort of 27 nurses who began working at Cheltenham General Hospital and Delancey Hospital in spring 2000. Nurses from around the world travelled to London for a reunion this year to mark the 25 year anniversary.
For most of the nurses it was their first time living abroad. Lowela remembers her friends applying to work in the UK, she completed her exam and two weeks later was given an interview date. Already qualified as an Operating Room Nurse, she joined her ITU friends in moving to the UK. Nurses were given a two-week induction to help settle in to a new culture and help with practical activities such as shopping and banking. Coming from a tropical climate, the move to the UK in February was quite a change but the group soon began to feel at home in Cheltenham.
"We are like family. We relied on each other and developed close friendships from the moment we arrived."
Lowela Danah Encomienda
Lowela's first role was an Operating Room Nurse in Cheltenham. She became a Theatre Sister in 2005 and is now a Surgical Care Practitioner. Talking about her career she says it has developed her as a person and a nurse. In the 2022 Staff Awards, she was one of the recipients of the 'Richards Family Bursary Award.' She was also nominated and shortlisted for 'The Denise Barr Memorial Award for Excellence in Nursing' together with her colleague Bilgy for playing a vital role in running the robotic urological service. Lowela completed her robotic training (Intuitive da Vinci System) in Belgium in 2014 and a MSc Surgical Care Practitioner in Urology at Edge Hill University.
Tess Juan said: "It is unbelievable but amazing at the same time that the group have been here for 25 years! To me, it feels like it was only yesterday when we first set foot in England. I still remember how cold I was on that day when we arrived here in February of 2000.
"Over the last 25 years so much has changed in my life. I have grown both professionally and personally, not without challenges and trials, but I would say that I have achieved most of the goals I have set for myself when I left my country. I was also able to integrate with the English culture early on in the years, without losing my own. Most importantly, I have learnt to embrace the ever changing weather!"
The colleagues recruited in spring 2000 are now working across a range of specialisms:
Rosemarie Verdadero: Matron for Gastro/Endoscopy
Lowela Danah Encomienda: Surgical Care Practitioner in Urology for Urology Department
Maria Tess Juan: Ward Manager for Eyford Unit/Eye Theatres
Rosanna Casusco: Ward Manager for HASU (formerly known as ACUC)
Helen Grace Overton: Ward Sister for Lilleybrook Ward
Crispina Rajnat: Ward Sister for Lilleybrook Ward
Thank you for sharing your experience and congratulations on your 25 years of service to the patients of Gloucestershire.