Doris Higashi and Dr. Tawn Keeney celebrate Higashi's 100th birthday at Hale Hoola Hamakua. (Photo courtesy of Hale Hoola Hamakua)

MEDIA RELEASE

Hale Hoola Hamakua celebrated Doris Higashi’s 100th birthday on Friday, Dec. 11.

Higashi’s landmark was the third 100th birthday commemoration held in the facility’s Pau Hana Lounge this year. Staff and families of the celebrated residents also organized the lunch time festivities for Kikue Wachi in February and Sadako Nakamura in June.

Dignitaries in attendance included liaisons from Hawaii members of Congress and governor, Sen. Dwight Takamine, Rep. Mark Nakashima, Mayor Billy Kenoi, and Alan Parker from the county Office of Aging. Blessings were also delivered by each resident’s spiritual denomination and a recount of the residents’ rich lives was told by a member of their families.

“I am so moved by Doris Higashi’s birthday and the effort put forth by our staff and her family to arrange the celebration,” said HHH Administrator Cathy Meyer-Uyehara. “Today, I learned a lot about the community’s appreciation for our facility and the reverence they hold for our elders.”

Dr. Tawn Keeney has cared for all three 100-year-old women.

“It has been my very good fortune to care for them over the years,” Keeney said.

After honoring Higashi, Takamine and Nakashima were treated to a tour of the 28-bed expansion, nearing completion.

“We are in the homestretch of construction,” said Meyer-Uyehara, who started as dministrator last month. “My understanding of the project is that it has been 15 years in the making – a true testament to the commitment of the community and elected officials. We are certainly looking forward to its completion in the spring.”

Hale Hoola Hamakua, originally known as Honokaa Hospital, has served the health care needs of the communities of Hamakua, North Hawaii and South Kohala since 1951.

In November 1995, a new facility was opened above the old hospital, to provide long-term-care services. The facility was renamed Hale Hoola Hamakua (Haven of Wellness in Hamakua) in 1997 to reflect its new focus.

Hale Hoola Hamakua is a part of the East Hawaii Region of Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, a public corporation established in 1996 by the State of Hawaii to fulfill the promise to provide quality, hometown healthcare.

— Find out more:

www.hhsc.org/easthi/hhh