Newsmaker

Monday, October 19, 1998

Name: Alejandra "Alice" Ramos
Age: 62
Education: Bachelor's in nursing, University of Hawaii
Hobbies: Cooking and baking

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Going beyond the call

Nursing school didn't teach Alejandra "Alice" Ramos to do random acts of kindness. Her job description doesn't require her giving freely from the heart, either.

Yet she buys groceries and needed appliances for her patients on her own time and at her own expense. She provides birthday cakes and Christmas gifts to children who would not receive such luxuries. She drives patients around on weekends to appointments or shopping, and checks in on elderly patients who cannot drive.

A registered nurse with the Department of Health's Leeward office, Ramos of Waipahu won the state's Employee of the Year award for doing the extras.

A nurse for 26 years with the state, Ramos works with all ages. She makes home visits to parents with newborns or children up to age 3 with special needs. She supervises health aides at Waipahu High and Intermediate schools. She gives immunizations to kids. She helps families without medical insurance and families struggling to care for their elders.

"We try to have families come up with a family support system, but many don't have one," Ramos said. "We try to get them to be independent. But when you hear they may lose their Section 8 (state assisted) housing and they're going to end up in the street, I just feel I need to help them."

Ramos, single with no children, grew up on the Waipahu sugar plantation, the first American born to Filipino immigrant parents. They lived a life without frills, surrounded by hardship.

"It was difficult, but we always had food and shelter," she recalled.

She finds today's times tougher for families, who often can't meet basic needs. Holidays are a special time, and many of these parents, like any parent, want to give something to their children, she said.

A child from one family wanted a watch for Christmas, so Ramos bought four watches, giving one to each sibling as well.

"It's no part of my job," Ramos agreed. But as she explains it, "It's the values you have when you see these families struggling for clothes, food and a place to live."

The choice is easy in her mind.

"You earn your money. You can put it in the bank, or you can help other people."

Payback for her is knowing these families have food for the day, shelter for the night and they will be OK. She said, "That's it."

By Lori Tighe, Star-Bulletin