Gloria Tumbaga has vivid childhood memories of homelessness, often living on the beach or out of a car.

Raised by a single mother who was a victim of domestic violence, Tumbaga became an orphan at 8, when her mother died of pneumonia.

She and her four siblings became foster children. To make matters worse, they were separated.

Rather than hate life and give up on hope, the Downtown Hono-lulu resident, now 31, looks at her past as a source of strength and passion.

"That was a motivator for me to want to better my life," said Tumbaga, a third-year medical student at the John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawai'i-Manoa.

An award-winning student and active volunteer with a nonprofit group that provides free healthcare to disadvantaged people, Tumbaga wants to inspire other children with similar backgrounds to strive for greater things.

"She had so many challenges," said Chet Okayama, a social worker with Foster Family Programs of Hawai'i. "Now she's an excellent role model."

Tumbaga's social worker and friend of 22 years, Okayama said he's proud of how far Tumbaga has come.

"That makes my life's work worth it," Okayama said.

MOTIVATED BY HER LIFE

A desire to go into medicine and cater to the underprivileged stems from being poor and losing her mother at such a young age, Tumbaga said.

"Why did my mom die from pneumonia? That was something that could have been cured," Tumbaga said. "If we had access to adequate healthcare, maybe my mom would still be alive."

Tumbaga was already a registered nurse when she entered medical school via Imi Ho'ola, a one-year program that provides educational opportunities in medicine to students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

She's paying her way through school with scholarships, financial aid and loans, and is scheduled to complete her medical degree in 2010.

"I'm not exactly sure what specialty I'd like to pursue, but I know that I want to do humanitarian medicine and international health," Tumbaga said.

As a student, Tumbaga has received several honors, including recognition from the American College of Physicians and the International Student Congress of Medical Sciences for research that she and other group members did on a disfiguring tropical skin disease in Chuuk, one of the Federated States of Micronesia.

This led to opportunities for Tumbaga to present their findings in Washington, D.C., and the Netherlands.

Tumbaga has also been an active volunteer with Aloha Medical Mission, a nonprofit group that provides free healthcare to underserved people overseas and in Hawai'i. Her missions have taken her to places like Micronesia, Laos, Bangladesh, Philippines and Papua New Guinea.

"All the medical missions I've gone on have been very heartwarming, and the people are so appreciative," said Tumbaga, who offers her nursing skills to the cause.

Dr. Ramon K. Sy, one of the founders of the organization, who has known Tumbaga for at least five years, said he respects Tumbaga for her compassion, dedication and generosity.

"She's young, dynamic, intelligent and has a very good personality," Sy said. "I keep telling people she's the future of Aloha Medical Mission."

ENVISIONING A BOOK

Tumbaga's goals don't end with completing medical school in a couple years.

She hopes to add "author" to her list of accomplishments, too.

"I'd like to write a book about myself and my experiences growing up as a foster child to help other foster children, to give them hope," said Tumbaga, who would like to work with a publisher willing to do pro-bono work.

She envisions a motivational book that would include helpful information on how to "make it through the foster care system," she said. "After the book is published, I'd like all the money to go to Foster Family Programs (of Hawai'i) to help support their services for foster children."

Tumbaga also aspires to open a treatment center or group home especially for foster children. She and her younger sister, who is graduating next month with a master's degree in social work, would split duties.

"We have a plan in our heads what we want to do, but we haven't worked out the details," Tumbaga said.

Their dream is to have land given to them and to build the establishment from scratch. They'd like to develop the center based on their past experiences with, and current needs in, the foster care system.

Tumbaga is already a leader with resilience, perseverance and compassion, said Dr. Nanette Judd, program director of Imi Ho'ola and acting chairwoman of UH medical school's Department of Native Hawaiian Health.

"She's determined to succeed, and I believe she will," said Judd, Tumbaga's school adviser. "I have no doubt in my mind."

Through her many endeavors, Tumbaga's main goals are to give back to the community and inspire youth who also come from disadvantaged backgrounds.

"I know it's hard, because I've been there before," Tumbaga said. "So I feel it's important for them to see that there is hope."