Rhelyn Harder
- It’s very overwhelming to receive that phenomenal award. It’s not an ordinary award I received. I consider it as one of the best gifts that I have,” said Ongcachuy
- A testimony that Filipino nurses are hardworking, dedicated, and very loyal to be trusted with lives on their hands
- Since I was a child, I wanted to be a nurse because I want to take care of people
As fruit of her community work and contribution to the response of the London Bridge attack on June 3, 2017, a Filipina nurse is set to receive a British royal award in London.
Joy Ongcachuy, a 45-year-old Robotic Nurse at the Royal London Hospital, will receive an award as Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in ceremonies at the Buckingham Palace on April 4. The OBE is an order of chivalry for extraordinary contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organizations, and public and community service.
“It’s very overwhelming to receive that phenomenal award. It’s not an ordinary award that I received. I consider it as one of the best gifts that I have,” said Ongcachuy.
It was on June 2017 when an attack happened in London and injured victims were brought to the nearest medical facilities on site where Joy was on duty for a night shift.
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“Usually, when we are working at night, there are only two sets of nurses. When the hospital declared a major incident, I had to call people at home because we couldn’t accommodate the number of people who came to the hospital and to the theaters,” Ongcachuy recalled.
There were 7 patients who had to be taken to the operating theaters and she stayed calm throughout the night and finished her shift at 8 a.m. She was so grateful that all of the 7 patients survived and recovered well.
“We are absolutely delighted that Joy got her OBE, one of our very competent Band 6 sisters. She has worked here for a very long time. She ran the London Bridge incident night shift when she was on duty,” said Anne Gully, Matron at the hospital.
Because of her noble act, it lifted all the nurses from the Philippines who are working abroad. It is a testimony that Filipino nurses are hardworking, dedicated, and very loyal to be trusted with lives on their hands.
“She is a gold mine, like many other nurses from the Philippines: very hard working, very dedicated, very loyal to the trust,” she added.
She comes from the municipality of Talisayan in Misamis Oriental, and is described as “average” and her beloved town as “ordinary.” Joy is the daughter of a former soldier and a teacher who dreamt of becoming a nurse.
“Since I was a child, I wanted to be a nurse because I want to care for people,” Ongcachuy said.
From Liceo de Cagayan in Cagayan De Oro, she finished her nursing degree; coupled with the will to work abroad for the better future of her family. In 2002, as a scrub nurse, she started working at the Royal London Hospital. And after 17 years of working there, now she leads 25 robotic nurses at the same hospital.
“The OBE is an unexpected feather added in my cap. I don’t need more. I think I am now at the peak of my career. I think that’s all I want,” said Ongcachuy.
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Joy was so excited to see to see her only daughter following her footsteps. Studying at the London Southbank University taking up nursing and getting a placement at the A&E department of the same hospital where her mother is working.
She joins the league of other famous British celebrities awarded the OBE like David and Victoria Beckham, Liam Neeson, Keira Knightley, and Eddie Redmayne, among others.
