American Dreaming: The Iway Family, Part 2

Doctors Olivia & Belino Iway came to the United States in 1974 from the Philippines on student visas, carrying $200 in their pockets and with three young children to care for. After Belino completed his medical residency in New York City, where their fourth child was born, the family was invited to move to Elkhart, KS to staff the small town’s fledgling hospital. Over a career of 30 years in that community, the Drs. Iway built the hospital into its present capacity of several hundred employees, with specialized units that draw in patients from many of the larger surrounding communities.

We joined the Iways at a house of theirs in the Kansas City metro while they were in town for a fundraising gala organized by two of their daughters.

“My dream was always to become a doctor. And my dream was also to help the poor people of the Philippines. Maybe I overachieved my dream.” —Dr. Belino Iway

The Iway’s first-born, Dr. Yvonne Spurlock, lives in the Kansas City metro with her husband, Dr. Daniel Spurlock, and their three daughters, Sophia, Alexa, and Mia. Their second daughter, Dr. Christine Nedeau, also lives in the KC area with her husband Joel and their children Cara and Jack and nephew Matthew Iway. Joel’s mother, Jane Nedeau, lives with them and helps care for the Nedeau, Iway, and Spurlock children.

Belino and Olivia’s third child, Dr. Edsel Iway (Matthew’s father), was also in town with his wife, Dr. BiAnn Iway, and their son Zachary. The youngest of the four Iway children, Steph, and her husband Tom Nichols, were not able to join for the weekend’s conversation and gala.

In the video above, the family discusses the reasons that they pursued jobs in the medical field and how they use that training to give back to their home country.

KCPT’s Hale Center for Journalism presents Your Fellow Americans, a documentary web series exploring race, immigration and the American Dream. In this pilot season, join multiple generations from six different families as they discuss their American experience around the dinner table. Watch episodes, go behind the scenes and join the conversation at kcpt.org/yourfellowamericans.