Hawaii Pacific Health Donor Reports Spring 2016 | Page 5

Kapi‘olani Soirée
Since its inception, Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women & Children has been
dedicated to providing high quality care to Hawai‘i’s women and children. Donations
play a key role in ensuring Kapi‘olani is able to provide any patient in need, regardless
of their ability to pay.
On Sept. 5, 2015, the Kapi‘olani Soirée raised $500,000
in net proceeds for Kapi‘olani’s Child Life and Chaplaincy
programs. Both of these programs help patients and their
families cope with hospitalization and treatment, and would
not be possible without the support of our donors.
The Chaplain program provides spiritual support for
patients, families and staff members at the hospital. Kapi‘olani
is fortunate to have two chaplains who are on call 24/7, and
whose services are continually available to families even after the patient is discharged.
At age five, Taylor was diagnosed with acute remission again. She is now 13 years old, canChild Life specialists are a vital lifeline to our young patients, as they help bridge the
myeloid leukemia (AML), a cancer of the blood cer free, with a passion for cooking, playing
gap between home and the hospital. These individuals coordinate with doctors, nurses
cells. She received chemotherapy and led as the drums, riding horses and surfing.
and other care professionals to ensure that life remains as normal as possible for our
much of a normal life as she could. When the
dreamsan
that
one day she
can help
patients. They cover everything from playtime Taylor
to providing
educational
liaison
to other
doctors said she was in remission, she and her
children with the same condition, by becomhelp with homework.
family were overjoyed. For two years, Taylor
ing Members
a Pediatric
Oncologist.
Help
support the
Co-chaired by Kapi‘olani Health Foundation Board
Michelle
Ho and
Kimberly
was back to her usual routine, but then, at
dreams
like Taylor.
Dey, the soirée gathered Kapi‘olani supporters for
a nightof
ofchildren
glitzy Uptown
meets urban
eight and a half years old, she relapsed. DocDowntown by transforming a Kaka‘ako warehouse
into the vibe of New York. Hawai‘i
tors told her that this time she would need a Taylor’s Pin
News Now Sunrise anchor Dan Cooke volunteered his services as the night’s emcee,
bone marrow transplant. The news hit hard as “I designed a special Champion pin, the Aloha
while internationally acclaimed storyteller and Hawai‘i’s first poet laureate, Kealoha,
this type of treatment typically meant a trip Surfboard,” which represents my passion for
performed with inspiration stemming from three Kapi‘olani patients: Kassian Neal,
to the mainland, but Taylor was able to be- surfing in Hawaii.  The ‘L’ in Aloha symbolizes
Keegan Passos and Taylor Tagatac. Kealoha spoke of the turning points in our lives that
come the very first person to have the type of the cancer ribbon and the color orange is for
bone marrow treatment she needed in Hawaii.

leukemia.  The ‘O’ in Aloha is a gold hibiscus to

Taylor’s Dad, Frank, was the bone marrow do-

symbolize childhood cancer.” – Taylor Tagatac

nor. In February of 2011, Taylor was officially in

Kapi‘olani
Construction
Update
Thanks to the generosity of donors,
the first phase of a multi-year master
plan to rebuild Kapi‘olani Medical
Center for Women & Children is in
the final stretch.
Kapi‘olani’s

new

Neonatal

and

Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Building
will be completed in July 2016. The
200,000-square-foot

building

will

provide additional space to meet the
growing needs of Hawai‘i’s only fullservice children’s specialty hospital.
Taking center stage is the expanded
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU),
which will be five times as large as the
current NICU space. Growing from an
8,000-square-foot open-floor plan to
a 40,000-square-foot floor with 70
private rooms, the new NICU will be
equipped with the latest technology
and allow parents and caregivers the
ability to stay overnight. Research
shows that patients heal better and
faster when families are involved in
their care. A Pediatric Intensive Care
Unit (PICU) also will feature 14 private
patient rooms.
Other services in the new building
include an adult Medical Surgical Unit
with 12 private rooms, an outpatient
clinic

and

an

expanded

pediatric

rehabilitation center. There also will be
a conference center with an auditorium
and

education

rooms

to

support

Kapi‘olani’s commitment to academic
medicine and research, and medical
education and training for physicians
and staff.

define us – those that are marked by ceremonies and celebrations for some and those

SAVE THE DATE

that are marked by scars for others. Each of these patients has faced numerous medical

JULY 2016

hardships and overcame various obstacles to get to where they are today. They know
what it’s like to fight for their lives, yet they still view each day with bright eyes.

OPEN HOUSE

We would like to thank our volunteer soirée committee and sponsors for helping to

Kapi‘olani Neonatal and

make this event a success. We are grateful for their generosity in supporting our hospital

Pediatric Intensive Care

and vital mission.

Unit Building
3