Hawaii Pacific Health Donor Reports Spring 2016 | Page 7

when it comes to cardiac care, we are the

care from the first Pali Momi gala. The funds

higher standard of care,” said John Kao, MD,

will support a second interventional cardiac

medical director of cardiology at Pali Momi.

catheterization unit, which is scheduled to

More than $600,000 was raised for heart

be completed in December 2016.

Richard &
Rita May
“Her warmth and ever-present caring
for others” is what Richard “Dick” May
would say best described his wife and
best friend of 47 years, Rita May.
Rita and Dick’s ties to Hawai‘i began
when they met and got married in the
islands while both serving in the United
States Air Force. After moving to many
places, the Mays’ dream of returning to
Hawai‘i came true in 1990.
In recent years, Rita became a

“....lifesaving services
were made possible only
through the generosity
of our donors.”

patient of Pali Momi Medical Center.
Her longest hospital stay was for
six weeks before passing away in
September 2015. During that time,
the Mays developed a close bond to
everyone from telemetry to respiratory
therapy and housekeeping. Dick noted
that Rita, always grateful for each act
of care, dutifully recorded the names of
all of whom she wanted to thank after
her hopeful recovery.
Following

her

passing

Dick

returned to Pali Momi to share Rita’s
sentiments with the staff as she would
have wanted him to. In addressing
the leadership team, Dick said “Pali
Momi delivers great care, but it is the
caring that makes it so special,” before
presenting a $5,000 gift in memory
of his late wife. He then mentioned
how for his latest birthday, knowing
he wouldn’t leave Rita’s bedside, the
staff bought him a cake and lei so they
could celebrate together.
The Mays considered the caregivers
at Pali Momi as extended family, and
Dick says he plans to continue visiting
with his “new ‘ohana” in the years to
come.

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