Shriners Children's Hawaiʻi - Kaʻana ʻIke - Winter 2022

Having grown up in a small town in Illinois, I appreciated the importance of relationships and how everyone needed to work together to help our community prosper. Over the past two months, Matt and I have tried to respectfully immerse ourselves in Hawai‘i’s culture which continues to enrich our lives and, in many ways, reminds me of my childhood days.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned thus far, it’s the special connectedness that people here share because of how they treat each other. As I meet and work with local business leaders, community groups and our very own staff, I can’t help but be inspired knowing that everyone wants to do the right thing even when it may lead to significant challenges. A colleague told me that “living pono” is a cultural norm here, and doing so leads to trusting relationships, meaningful friendships and a better community. In many ways, our mission at Shriners Children’s Hawai‘i is possible because of living pono - we choose to be here because we want to do what’s right for our keiki and the community.

A hundred years ago, our Shriners founded our hospital because only families of means had access to medical care in Hawai‘i. They made it their mission to do the right thing and help underserved keiki suffering from polio. Since then, the scope of our care has greatly expanded as we steadfastly serve the orthopedic needs of keiki in Hawai‘i and across the Pacific Basin. As we come together in the new year to celebrate this milestone, I would like to extend my gratitude to you for welcoming me into your ‘ohana, for your sage advice, and for your dedication and commitment to helping our keiki live their best lives. I am confident that we will continue to do great things and build upon the successes of those who preceded us for many years to come!

May you have a joyful holiday season!

Me ka mahalo piha,

Aloha!

RICHELLE’S HOLIDAY MESSAGE

THERE IS NOTHING LIKE BEING HOME at Shriners Children’s Hawai‘i, especially during the holiday season. While some of our Family Center patients may be away from their families as they receive care, I am so proud to see how staff are always dedicated to making the hospital feel like home, regardless of the time of year. There is no shortage of aloha from staff and no shortage of new friendships made with others also staying in the Family Center. We celebrate with one another joyfully this year as the pandemic largely prevented us from that companionship during the holiday seasons of the last 2 years.

What is extra special about this holiday season? On January 2nd, we celebrate 100 years of fulfilling our mission to the keiki of Hawai‘i and the Pacific Basin. 100 years of smiles, 100 years of hugs, 100 years of taking the next step to a better and brighter future. We begin a new dawn of our next 100 years in

service providing exceptional, life changing care. As I reflect on this, I also experienced my own “homecoming” as I return after a year and a half absence. There are new colleagues to get to know, and friends whom I get to hug and reconnect with. There are wonderful traditions to maintain yet also new territory to uncover. Let’s reflect on what brings us peace and warmth during this season, and surround ourselves with friends and family.

BEAR® IMPLANT PROCEDURE IN THE NEWS HEARTWARMING ARTICLE FEATURED IN GUAM NEWS

Helen Middlebrooke wrote an article in The Guam Daily Post about the health care challenges that her foster son Nero faces and how Shriners Children’s Hawai‘i has been a “miracle” for their family. Read her touching story below or online at www.bit.ly/3uSmwQj

In our last issue,

If you missed the live broadcast, you can view it at www.bit.ly/3hvgT7E

Dr. Craig Ono and our surgical team were recognized for making Shriners Children’s Hawai‘i the first hospital in the state to utilize the BEAR® implant procedure to repair torn ACLs. In late November, KITV-4 News broadcast the story, having interviewed Dr. Craig Ono, patient Karli and her mom Ashley, with video demonstrating how the procedure is performed.

Love and Aloha to the Rescue

When Kulukulutea was a year old and learning to walk, mom Kaori noticed that she consistently “tiptoed”, using only the balls of her feet. As she grew older, she would fall forward whenever she attempted to walk flat-footed. Suspecting a medical issue, Kaori took her to see her pediatrician, who reassured her that it was normal. But the tiptoeing continued, and it wasn’t until Kulukulutea had her preschool physical that the doctor recommended she get a consultation from Shriners Hospital.

“I WAS NERVOUS AT FIRST BECAUSE I THOUGHT SHRINERS WAS FOR SPECIALIZED SURGERIES ONLY,” said Kaori. “But when we went there, the staff were so welcoming and full of aloha. It made us feel hopeful for Kulukulutea.” Upon examination, Kulukulutea was diagnosed with severe idiopathic toe walking, a condition with no exact medical cause. Much to Kaori’s and husband Kalavi’s relief, it was treatable. Over the next several months, Kulukulutea had weekly hospital visits to stretch her muscles and tendons and underwent casting and bracing of her feet to encourage a normal gait.

“Mike Nishimoto was awesome,” said Kaori. “He didn’t rush us, educated and guided us through the process, set expectations and made sure Kulukulutea was always comfortable. The nurses did a good job distracting her with movies during casting and gave her headphones to listen to music when the casts were sawed off which helped her tolerate things well.” Other staff helped with the little details including tips on how to properly use a walker, navigating stairs and proper foot hygiene. “Kulukulutea calls everyone at Shriners “doctor” because they fix things,” Kaori chuckled.

Now five years old, Kulukulutea beams with affection. On their family farm in Punaluu, she cares for their crops of taro, ulu and lauhala daily, and takes time to visit her kupuna with flowers and homemade bread in hand. “She’s so full of energy and is such a girly girl,” said Kaori. “When she’s not jumping off tree stumps on the farm, she loves playing with her dollhouse.” And Shriners Hospital may be her biggest dollhouse of all. “She thinks Shriners looks like a magical castle – so she calls it the “castle hospital”,” said Kaori, with a wink.

Kulukulutea’s Story

Helping Keiki Reach Their Fullest Potential

Children’s

“DURING MY UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES AT OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE IN CALIFORNIA, I THOUGHT DOING RESEARCH WAS MY THING,” said Keri. “Over time, I found myself slowly losing interest in it, so when I took an anatomy class my world really expanded.” She discovered that the hands-on approach in learning about body structures was so interesting and enjoyable that she ultimately graduated with a degree in biology and moved back home to Hawai‘i, becoming a volunteer at Shriners Children’s while deciding what to do next.

“At Shriners, I learned all about physical therapy and really loved working with kids,” said Keri. By then, her career path was clear as she returned to California to pursue her doctorate in physical therapy from Chapman University. Upon graduation, she moved back home and started working at a rehab hospital helping adults with spinal cord injuries. “Working with adults was a good experience,” recalled Keri. “Each of my patients needed 3 hours of therapy a day and motivating them was tough. Adults generally don’t want to be pushed to do therapy due to their conditions so I had to be patient, put on a stern face and encourage them as best I could.” But Keri credits that experience in preparing her for her dream job when she began working at Shriners Children’s a year later.

“Kids have a different mindset from adults when it comes to motivation,” said Keri. “The things many adults take for granted are less so for kids, such as becoming more independent, advancing their mobility, or getting back into

sports or school.” And that difference is how Keri uses her relatability and adaptability to form relationships with her patients built on a foundation of trust. “Kids are often scared when they first come in, so I try to make them feel safe, let them speak their minds and find common ground to ensure they stay motivated,” she explained. “Besides trying to make things fun, I use objective measures where they can see their improvements – they are a great motivator towards getting them back to doing the things they love.” Not surprisingly, Keri is frequently recognized on monthly Press Ganey surveys for excellence in patient experience, a compliment that gets lost in her humility.

As Keri reflects on how fulfilling her work and life is, she knows it is a constant balance. “I enjoy playing with my nieces and nephews and my beagle Kona, spending time with my fiancée Josh and planning our trip to Japan,” she said. A firm believer in prioritizing a person’s well-being, Keri added, “Thanks to Shriners, I can do that on both a personal

As college students pursue their degrees while being exposed to a variety of disciplines and experiences, many find interest in subjects they never initially considered. Such interests often shape career choices, as they have for physical therapist Keri Nakama. And Shriners

Hawai‘i is so much better for it.

On a festive October 30th afternoon, hundreds of keiki and their families gathered around our front lawn for a special Trunk-or-Treat event hosted by Business Development! Classic Mustang cars were on display and dressed up in festive décor for the occasion, courtesy of the Aloha Shelby and Mustang Club and Team Shelby. Besides the sweet treats, keiki enjoyed games, photo-ops and tons of fun! KHON-2 News was there to report on all the festivities, which you can see at: www.bit.ly/3BBArOA

Mahalo to our Shriners volunteers, Keiki O Ka ‘Aina and Diamond Bakery for helping make this a Halloween to remember!

In the spirit of the holiday season, Shriners board members, staff and guests enjoyed a ono Hawaiian buffet, trivia games and ukulele entertainment out on our hula mound under beautiful sunny skies. A special part of the festivities included a presentation of gifts to our adopted family as part of Helping Hands Hawai‘i’s Adopt-a-Family program. Thanks to the generosity of our staff, the family’s wish-list items were provided, including clothing, gift cards and a nice holiday dinner to make this Christmas extra special for them!

BUILDING BRAND AWARENESS

Ka‘ana ‘Ike is published quarterly by Shriners Children’s Hawai‘i

Marc Rubenstein

Chairman, Board of Governors

Drew Graul

Interim Hospital Administrator Hawai‘i Corporate Administrator

In our constant pursuit of increasing Shriners Children’s Hawai‘i brand awareness in our community, highlighting “the most amazing care anywhere” via mass media opportunities is fundamental.

Richelle Asselstine, PhD, RN

Director of Patient Care Services/ Nurse Executive

Jonathan Pellett, MD

Interim Chief of Staff

Vernon Hiroe

Editor, Writer and Photographer

Janice Knapp

Consultant

Chris Quint

This past October, our scoliosis care was featured on KITV’s Island Life, their premier lifestyle show. Generations of Shriners Children’s care was the key message, as volleyball standout and spine fusion patient Rylee was featured along with her mom Ainahau, herself a former Shriners Children’s scoliosis patient.

This month, Vena Joco, APRN is prominently featured via KITV’s holiday Adopt-A-Family PSAs, while a new centennial-focused Island Life episode will air after Christmas. That episode features interviews with Board Vice-Chairman Mark Leo who speaks about our 100-year history, and Dr. Craig Ono who discusses the breadth of care we provide today. Be sure to check them out!

AMBASSADORS RECORD MAHALOS TO SHRINERS

Photographer

Vince Aquino

Photographer

Clifford Cheng / VOICE Design Designer

We want to hear your stories! Please email your suggestions to HON-Public Relations.

Several of our Shriners Children’s Hawai‘i patient ambassadors sent in video recordings expressing mahalos for the care they received which has helped them thrive. Our Development team incorporated their messages into their annual holiday fundraising campaign. See if you can spot some familiar faces at www.bit.ly/3W5U21q!

Shriners Children’s Hawaii