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President's Message by Sonia Tumanut RN
As I step into
the New Year, I find myself reminiscing the events that have shaped my life.
Last year marked my twentieth year from the time I arrived in Kansas City with
other "young nurses" from the Philippines on an H-1 Visa. Most of us
initially lived on the ninth floor of The University of Health Sciences
hospital, and, later on, we moved to an apartment. We worked hard, survived, and
thrived with each other's support. We had a lot of happy memories, but there
were unhappy times too. There were problems that caused some ill feelings at
times, but as special and forgiving as our relationship was, we kept our
friendship intact. Those who still live in Kansas City (who are also members
of the Philippine Nurses Association) decided to celebrate this milestone by
holding a reunion in the heartland where we all started a new life.
Last
June, old friends from California, Texas, Virginia, and Illinois returned with
their husbands and children. In the four days we had to celebrate, one of the
highlights was the twenty-five minute video of our old pictures that my son
Edward produced, titled "Coming to America." With music from the
"Saturday Night Fever" soundtrack incorporated into the video, we
(including the children) watched it so many times that it brought us back to the
good life and the friendship that we shared.
As enlightening as my personal
experience has been, my professional life with the Philippine Nurses Association
of Greater Kansas City has extended that richness. I consider myself very
fortunate to be working with many nurses and their families, who spend much
effort and time to carry out the objectives of the association. For example,
financial support through caroling has doubled our expectations. There has been
an increase in community involvement, such as the caroling performance at
Woodbine Nursing Home and the First Aid Station during the National Youth
Conference in November. Attendance to the Philippine Nurses Association of
America Conventions is admiringly up by 70%! Most importantly, membership rose
19% in 1997.
I am inspired and determined to continue and expand the
visibility of the association, not only here, but also on a national level. As
the saying goes, "There's always room for improvement." One step to be
taken is to win a seat in the Executive Board of the Philippine Nurses
Association of America (PNAA). Irma Labre-Wright, our past president, has
accepted the nomination for board member, and we will aggressively campaign on
her behalf. As one of the youngest constituent chapters of PNAA, I would like to
dispel the notion that Kansas City is in the "boonies" -- it is a
great place to live and to work and is home to many outstanding professionals.
In the association's journey into the new millennium, I am optimistic that it
will stand strong and will remain an active part of our lives just as the
precious bond of friendship.
Sonia Tumanut |
Even though faced with the arrival of Christmas
bills and income taxes, I always welcome the coming of the New Year. January is
symbolic of a beginning, a renewed hope, and resolutions. It inspires us to do
something better in order to make our lives more manageable or more productive.
January is derived from the Latin word "janua,"which means
"gate." In Roman mythology, Janus is the god of gates or doors, of
entrances, and of exits. He has two faces: one side looking backward, and the
other looking forward, representing the past and the future.
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