Hawaii Tribune-Herald Sunday, October 28, 2018 11
Hilo Medical Center cares for the community and the community cares for the hospital
Hilo Medical Center
welcomes a variety of
community groups to
the hospital to inform them about
the major developments of the
services offered. Outreach during
a full calendar of community
events provides education on the
signs and symptoms of stroke,
heart attack and sepsis, as well
as provides injury prevention
information such as distracted
driving and car seat safety.
On many occasions, HMC
and its patients are recipients
of community goodwill that
is much appreciated. Service
organizations and individuals
raise funds, donate and perform
service projects that help
improve the patient experience.
Here are just a few examples
of how Hilo Medical Center cares
for the community and how the
community cares for the hospital.
For the past few
years, Charlene
Awa Cockett has
celebrated the
anniversary of the
passing of her son,
Calsey, by knitting
and donating
baby beanies to
our OB unit. This
year, she made
15 handcrafted
beanies —
each
one taking four
hours to make.
Mahalo to the Kiwanis Club of East Hawaii for donating 30 blankets to our
Pediatric-Surgical Unit to keep our keiki nice and warm during their hospital
stay. Thanks to Audrey Kagawa and her fellow members, they produced
many more blankets during this year’s district convention in Kona. All of the
blankets produced were distributed throughout our community. Hilo Medical
Center thanks Kiwanis for thinking about our youngest patients.
At the end of September, more than 20 volunteers from Hilo Medical Center
volunteered during Hui Malama Ola Na Oiwi’s signature event, Ladies Night
Out, to staff the Unique Boutique. More than 500 women, many of whom
are clients of service partner groups, attended the event for an evening of
pampering and information about health care.
Drs. Katelyn Steele
and Antoinette
Moore, first-year
residents of the class
of 2021, attended
the 2018 Hilo Pride
Parade and Festival
to show their support
and reach out to the
lesbian, gay, bisexual
and transgender
community.