NJ med workers honor Rizalvo

LAKEWOOD, New Jersey Medical workers from the Philippines recently honored Lorna Rizalvo, 70, a Filipino American registered nurse who since the 1980s helped many lonely, homesick medical workers from the Philippines who needed someone to give them helter and tell them how to adjust to a new life in the United States.

She is known in the Filipino community for giving many young nurses and aides a place to stay while they got established in their professions. Rizalvo, who is from Iloilo, came in 1971, working for two years at the prestigious Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Thats the biggest experience I ever had, Rizalvo said. By 1978 she was at Community, and over the years worked in a number of units. She and her husband Ted lived in Lakewood. Its very difficult for a young person,” Rizalvo said.

You cant go shopping. You dont have a car. Over the years Rizalvo boarded many more young nurses, and even bought a second house in Lakewood jointly with one of her former boarders so they could house new arrivals. Shes lost count of how many nurses have come through those doors. I have two people staying now, said Rizalvo, who also works an 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. shift at a local nursing home. They still need me, she said, and I like the work.