Manila: A Filipina nurse was accorded inclusion in Britain’s New Year Honours List 2019 for her work in treating the victims of the June 3, 2017 London Bridge terror attack.
Reports reaching the Philippines said Joy Ongcachuy was among the 42 individuals honoured with the Officer of the British Empire Award in Britain’s New Year Honours List 2019. She was among those who were feted were individuals involved major terror incidents in 2017; as well as British divers Richard Stanton and John Volanthen who played a role in the rescue of 12 young football players and their coach who were trapped in a Thailand cave complex for 18 days.
Daniel Pruce, British Ambassador to the Philippines and to Palau, in a tweet hailed the Filipina nurse for her role as a medical responder during that fateful day in London.
“Many congratulations to Joy Ongcachuy for her richly deserved OBE in recognition of her work treating victims of the London Bridge terrorist attack in June 2017,” Pruce said.
Philippine Ambassador Antonio M. Lagdameo said: “It is a proud moment for all Filipinos to have someone like Joy recognised in the Office of the British Empire Awards.”
“Joy’s courage, passion, and dedication to serve and care for her patients is truly an inspiring and heart-warming example,” the Philippine envoy said.
Ongcachuy, in her profile posted in the National Health Service Trust, Barts Health, said she was working the night shift on June 3, 2017 when the attack happened.
Three Daesh-inspired terrorists went on a stabbing and vehicle crashing rampage in London on that day. Eight people died including the attackers who were wearing fake suicide bomber vests.
“We already had a really sick patient in one of our theatres, so I had to get our other theatres ready and pull a team of nurses, allied health professionals and operating department practitioners together.
“We opened an additional six theatres that night and everyone I called dropped everything they were doing to come to the aid of the patients. No one panicked; everyone was calm and so supportive,” she said.
A week after the incident, another terror attack took place at Finsbury Park.
“I was working nights again. Maybe I shouldn’t work nights anymore!” she said.
Ongcachuy had always wanted to be a nurse while growing up in her native Philippines. In 2002, she and a batch of 23 other Filipino nurses started working The Royal London Hospital as a scrub nurse — a role she held until she was promoted last year to robotic lead nurse.
According to GOV.UK, The Office of the British Empire Award is a prestigious award conferred on those who have “made achievements in public life,” or “committed themselves to serving and helping Britain.
“The nominee must still be actively involved in what they are being nominated for. Once the honour’s list has been drafted by the Cabinet Office Honours and Appointments Secretariat, the committee’s recommendations go to the Prime Minister and then to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II who awards the honour.”
