Nurse who blew in on typhoon and is still here 25 years later
The decision to start a new life in a new country is one many Filipino nurses face, but Junierose Gazzingan had the added worry of leaving her one-year-old child behind.
Husband Julius was more used to handling suspects than newborns as a policeman in Manila but a year later the couple were reunited in the UK.
Junierose was among the first 'adaptation' nurses in 2000 having left a typhoon in Manila to arrive on a cold autumn night at Ealing Hospital.
“We were all excited and a group of us shared a big house in Southall figuring out what to do with household appliances like a microwave and a hoover. We'd never used them before.
“There weren't many Filipinos in the country at the time but living in a predominantly Asian area like Southall helped us settle in and find many of the foods we were used."
One of the biggest differences in nursing between the two countries was that in the Philippines nurses didn't generally wash or feed patients. That is the responsibility of relatives and friends.
Junirose added: "“I used to find reading the patient menu a bit of a challenge because of the pronunciation of words like butter and margarine. I remember a senior sister pulling me up on it a few times. It's funny looking back on it now.”
Nineteen of the original 56 nurses who arrived in Ealing still work at the hospital with another at Northwick Park.
“We've grown up with Ealing and spent most of our adult lives here. I started on Five North and returned to the ward as a matron several years ago. It felt like coming home.”
Junierose hoped one of her four children might follow her into nursing but decided otherwise seeing how hard their mother worked.
“It is a tough job but knowing you have touched people's lives for the better in some small way is still rewarding. I'm still proud to be called a nurse.
“Filipinos have a lot to offer and I would like to see more of my colleagues in senior positions but appreciate it isn't for everyone.
“I personally enjoy chatting with patients and relatives and would miss that. It isn't always a bed of roses but I get a lot of satisfaction from problem solving and winning people over.”