Season of Giving (Photo special to Hawaii 24/7)

Special to Hawaii 24/7 by Elena Cabuta | Hilo Medical Center Community Relations Manager

In April and May, Hilo Medical Center and the community we care for were recipients of the most thoughtful gifts. The following groups gave from of the kindness of their hearts.

Hilo Accident & Industrial Injury Clinic and “Gifts of Love”

On May 5, Hilo Accident & Industrial Injury Clinic, led by the husband and wife team of Dr. Rex Weigel and Charlene Tai along with their ohana and entire clinic staff, pictured below, presented the residents of HMC’s Extended Care Facility and the Medical/Surgical Unit with Mother’s Day flower arrangements.

Upon presenting the flower arrangement to resident Marie Searle, Tai said, “You are very loved.”

“They are beautiful, just beautiful. I will cherish this for the rest of my life,” said Searle, when receiving one of the 150 donated flower arrangements.

Resident Marie Searle and a gift of flowers. (Photo special to Hawaii 24/7)

Hilo Accident & Industrial Injury Clinic also made blankets for the residents. In presenting a blanket to resident Walter Sakamoto, Tai said, “Every time you wear this blanket, know that we are hugging you!”

Earlier on April 1, the clinic presented Hilo Medical Center’s Pediatrics Clinic with 100 gift bags containing coloring books and piggy banks.

At the presentation, president of the family affair of giving, “Gifts of Love,” Precious Ida, a fourth-grader at Waiakea Elementary School, said the gift-giving, “Makes me feel happy!”

Elizabeth Stevens and the Pink Compassion Pouches. (Photo special to Hawaii 24/7)

Pink Compassion Pouch

“We’re going to take this around the entire island and spread it to the rest of the state,” said Elizabeth Stevens, who was inspired to create the Pink Compassion Pouches after undergoing a double mastectomy in April.

Stevens presented the pouches to Hilo Medical Center’s Chief Nurse Executive Dan Brinkman on May 5.

Stevens enlisted her quilting group, the Ka Lae Quilters in Ka‘u, to construct, single and double Pink Compassion Pouches to help conceal post-operative drain bags on the body by them hanging around the neck and under clothing.

Annually, 30-40 women undergo the mastectomy procedure at Hilo Medical Center.

Stevens said, “Our group was all for it. Last year, three of our quilters found out they had breast cancer. We made the Pink Compassion Pouches to conceal the drain bags to make patients feel better, like everyone else, when they go out in public.”

The Ka Lae Quilters have big plans for the Pink Compassion Pouch. “It’s meant to be an ongoing project,” Stevens said.

Stevens offered praise for her surgeon, Dr. Joshua Pierce: “I love Dr. Pierce. I think he is one of the most compassionate doctors in my lifetime. He gives you the impression that he has been through this. I would recommend him to any women going through breast or ovarian cancer, not just as a surgeon, but as a person.”

Beanies for newborns from Hui O Wahine. (Photo special to Hawaii 24/7)

FCE — Hui O Wahine

On April 15, the Family and Children Education service club, Hui O Wahine presented the Obstetrics Department with beanies to warm newborns’ heads. The members, Ellen Okinaka, Wilma Martinson and Lynn Namihira, then gave the Short Stay Department books and lap blankets to comfort children who come to Hilo Medical Center for Short Stay procedures such as hernias, tonsillectomies and circumcisions.