Virginia (Jean) Apellanes Sulit joined SOSA in 2012 and currently serves as the Communications Coordinator for SOSA and is responsible for communicating the President’s messages to general members who do not have the technical support. For her, SOSA fosters a sense of inclusion, personal and social fulfilment among the increasing senior population, while gracefully growing old with other members. Every Saturday, she looks forward joining the group for the physical, mental, and social activities.
Born and raised in Binalonan, Pangasinan, Philippines, Jean studied at the University of Baguio, graduated at Baguio General Hospital School of Nursing and became a Registered Nurse in 1972. A few years later, Jean obtained her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree at Metropolitan Hospital College of Nursing in 1981. Early on, Jean worked in various settings as an occupational health nurse in the Philippines. She then became a charge nurse in Iran.
Jean then migrated to St. John’s Newfoundland and joined Janeway Children’s hospital. Her family soon settled in Toronto, Ontario where she devoted the next 22 years to Sunnybrook Health Science Centre at their General and Nephrology Dialysis Unit.
After working as a Registered Nurse for 42 years, Jean retired. However, Jean remains an active member in her community by joining The Rosary Apostolate Volunteer Program, where she teaches school children to pray the rosary. Jean believes that part of her legacy is to teach children how to pray by establishing God as their anchor as they grow to become responsible and caring citizens. Jean is proud of her Filipino heritage and is grateful for being a Canadian, along with her siblings Alex and Pina, who live in Vancouver and Toronto with their families. Jean believes that retirement is not the end of the road for her and considers this the golden years of her life. Jean finds retirement to be full of freedom and endless possibilities to enjoy life to the fullest, while also spreading love to others.
In her free time, Jean can be found gardening, sewing and cooking. Jean enjoys her retired life alongside her husband Edgar, who she has been married to for 45 beautiful years and counting. They have both been blessed with three children – Valerie, Vanessa and her husband Chris, Elmer and his wife Michelle. The Sulit family enjoys bonding together as a family, eating Jean’s amazing home cooked meals.