Thank you to nurses

Original Filipino nurses in Peterborough celebrate 25 years

Celebrating 25 years of working in Peterborough (back row) Joan Unay (B5), Angelo Cuenca (Oncology) and Mary Portugal (CCU). Front row Joanna Babaran (B7), Lynie Gazo (retired), Marlet Elefante (CCU) and Rosalyn Vilar (CCU) <i>(Image: Supplied)</i>
Celebrating 25 years of working in Peterborough (back row) Joan Unay (B5), Angelo Cuenca (Oncology) and Mary Portugal (CCU). Front row Joanna Babaran (B7), Lynie Gazo (retired), Marlet Elefante (CCU) and Rosalyn Vilar (CCU) (Image: Supplied)
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A group of nurses are marking 25 years of service.

A cohort of 34 Filipino nurses arrived in Peterborough in November 2000 to begin work at the city’s former district and Edith Cavell hospitals, and they have since become an integral part of the local health community.

Angelo Cuenca, one of the original recruits, is now a Macmillan radiotherapy specialist nurse at North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust.

Mr Cuenca said: "I am a proud Filipino Nurse in the UK.

"Care and compassion for us is not just a professional norm, but our way of life.

"This is simple truth and gesture that we genuinely care about our community beyond the walls of our institution."

Today, nine of the original nurses continue to work in Peterborough, while others have retired or moved on to roles across the UK and abroad.

Their arrival in the UK marked the start of a wider migration of Filipino nurses to the area, many of whom now work at both Peterborough City Hospital and Hinchingbrooke Hospital.

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Inocencia ‘Lynie’ Gazo, another member of the group, recently retired from her role as deputy sister at the Chemotherapy Day Unit.

She said: "Our group of nurses received a warm and kind welcome by the Trust which we really appreciated."

Jo Bennis, Chief Nurse at North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, praised the group’s lasting contributions.

Ms Bennis said: "We are hugely indebted to our wonderful Filipino nursing recruits for the excellent care and support they have provided for our patients since the year 2000.

"It cannot have been easy to leave family and friends thousands of miles away to follow their professional dream.

"It’s an honour to know they call Peterborough 'home' and have made their lives here."

A private party is planned in early November to celebrate the 25th anniversary.

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