Advisories & News
Press Release
Filipino Canadian Recipient of the Joan Lesmond Registered Practical Nurse of the Year Award
2021-09-06
PR-2021-47
01 September 2021, Toronto, Ontario – The Philippine Consulate General in Toronto extends its warm congratulations to Mr. Rodolfo D. Lastimosa, Jr., for the Joan Lesmond Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) of the Year Award from the CARE Centre for Internationally Educated Nurses (IEN). The official presentation of the Award will be held via Zoom during CARE Centre’s 20th Anniversary and Graduation Celebration on 16 September 2021.
Mr. Lastimosa works as an RPN in the Respirology and Gastroenterology units at Humber River Hospital in Toronto. Prior to coming to Canada in 2011, he already had a Masters degree in Nursing and was working in the Philippines as a Registered Nurse, Registered Physical Therapist and Registered Midwife. In Canada, he became an RPN in 2013, graduated in Internally Educated Physical Therapy Bridging Program at the University of Toronto in 2016, and completed BScN RN Program for IENs at York University in 2020. He also held leadership roles as he is a past President of the Nursing Students of Ontario interest group of the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO) and presently sits on the College of Nurses of Ontario’s RPN Council Member for Central Toronto District.
In an article published by Canadian Immigrant magazine titled “CARE Centre for Internationally Educated Nurses Announces the Joan Lesmond IEN of Year Awards”, Mr. Lastimosa said of the award: “It was a tough journey for me, but I have no regrets because it led me to where I am right now. Winning this award is a validation that we should never give up on our dreams, no matter what happens, because a single step will lead to your successful destination. In everything I do I always dedicate my triumph to my family in the Philippines, especially to my dad, who just recently passed away.”
Established in 2021, CARE Centre is a registered charity organization funded by the Government of Ontario which offers services from locations across Ontario from Windsor to Kingston and online to other parts of the Province. Currently, due to the COIV-19 pandemic, all of its programs and services have gone virtual.
The Centre recognizes the value of its nurses with diverse education and experience and is committed to advocating for their nurses’ full contribution to Canada’s healthcare system. It supports IENS like Mr. Lastimosa to be successful in their nursing profession through various programs on one-on-one case management, language and communication skills, exam preparation, professional development, mentoring, and networking.
Despite his busy schedule in the healthcare community of Ontario, Mr. Lastimosa has been an active participant in Filipino community and the Consulate General’s sponsored activities, thus maintaining link to his Filipino roots. Just recently, during the Consulate General’s celebration of the 123rd Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence on 12 June 2021, the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto featured its Quincentennial Awardees during the virtual program, which included Mr. Lastimosa, for his invaluable and continued support to the Filipino Community and the Philippine Consulate General. As an incumbent elected member of the College of Nurses of Ontario’s Council, the policy-making body of CNO, Mr. Lastimosa has been cooperating with and working on the accreditation of credentials of Filipino nurses in the Province of Ontario, which is a joint project by the Philippine Foreign Service Posts in Canada led by the Philippine Embassy in Ottawa. – END