Shriners Children's Hawaii

This week, we celebrate our incredible Health Unit Coordinators and the amazing work they do at Shriners Children's Hawaii! They oversee the clerical duties, making sure important documents are securely filed, appointments are scheduled, supplies are maintained and many other tasks. They are the backbone that works behind the scenes and we are grateful for the dedication they bring to make sure our keiki have the highest quality of care!

Today we celebrate with our very own facility dog and Chief of Snuggles, Zadoc!

Adding on to our wraparound care, Zadoc provides company, comfort and support to our patients who may be feeling nervous about their visit or surgery. He is an important part of our ohana, and we are always thankful for giving it his all to brighten everyone's day! 🐾❤

As Paralympian Tatyana McFadden’s mom said, “If Shriners Children's was a country, it would be incredibly well-represented at the Paralympics!” We are thrilled to be cheering on 16 patient alumni competing in nine sports! Join us in wishing them all the best as they head to Paris! The Paralympics start on August 28 and will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock!

Earlier this month, our friends at Card My Yard Kailua wanted to surprise our nurses and help us show how much "we love our nurses" and the amazing wraparound care provided to our keiki everyday. Our entire staff also had a blast showing their love and support, taking pictures with the amazing yard sign. Mahalo to Card My Yard Kailua for brightening up our nurses' day and helping us spread the cheer!

Born with fibular hemimelia, Hayden became a Shriners Children's Hawaii patient and had her first leg-lengthening surgery at the age of 3. As years passed, she braved subsequent surgeries and physical therapy with the heart of a champion. Although she has the tenacity and maturity of a young adult, her 13-year-old self enjoys bike riding, kite flying, art and ocean activities.

As a Standard Bearer, Hayden will have a once-in-a-lifetime experience, including interacting with professional golfers, walking the course and carrying the tournament scores over a two-day period, and creating new friendships and enjoying fun activities with other patient ambassadors from other Shriners Children's locations! To learn more about her story and support patient ambassadors like Hayden, please visit her fundraising page at: https://donate.lovetotherescue.org/hayden2024. Mahalo!

What better way to enjoy a Feztastic Fry-day afternoon than delicious fries and great company?

The Aloha Shriners made a special afternoon visit at our Honu Café where our patients and families got to join them for some yummy french-fries and get to know the men behind the fez! It was a great way for the families to learn more about the fraternal organization and all that they do for our hospital.

Mahalo to the Aloha Shriners for their unwavering support, compassion and dedication to Shriners Children's Hawaii. From fundraising events to this Feztastic Fry-day, their compassion shines through and their commitment makes a huge impact on our mission to provide the highest quality of care for our keiki!

Happy International Day of Friendship! For more than 100 years at Shriners Children's Hawaii, we have seen firsthand daily, the power of friendship between our patients, families, volunteers and staff. The bonds formed are not just kept within these walls but is with them forever, regardless of the distance or how much time has passed.

Help us celebrate this special day by sharing the love with the beautiful bonds that have shaped us into who we are today! ❤

Our staff had an amazing time helping out with the Laulima Giving Program's Back to School fundraiser on July 13 at the Kapolei Walmart, and we're excited to do it again! This Saturday, we will be there from 10:00 am - 3:00pm, along with staff from Keiki O Ka 'Aina Family Learning Centers, so please help keiki get a great start to their school year by donating much needed school supplies! ✏️📓

Meet Jennifer Weiss, M.D., an accomplished pediatric orthopedic surgeon and our new Chief of Staff at Shriners Children’s Hawaii! Dr. Weiss brings years of experience and expertise in pediatric sports medicine, sports injury and trauma surgery. “I feel like I am a better doctor now,” she said, “and it’s a palpable feeling how everyone at Shriners Children’s is invested in our keiki and treats them and their families like their ohana.”

Welcome Dr. Weiss to our Shriners Children’s Hawaii ohana! For her full bio, click the link below:
https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/news-and-media/news/2024/06/jennifer-weiss

This past Saturday, we had a great time at the Kapolei Walmart working alongside Keiki O Ka 'Aina Family Learning Centers (KOKA) staff for their Laulima Giving Program Back to School Supply Drive! It was such an amazing opportunity to be out in the community and see everyone come together to make sure keiki have the necessary supplies to start their school year. We look forward to participating again on July 27!

Last month, we had the pleasure of having 9 of our wonderful patient ambassadors come to our hospital to model for our brand photo shoot! They had a blast getting styled and being professionally photographed, while also developing friendships along the way with the other families. ❤

We would like to extend our warmest gratitude to all 9 patient ambassadors and their families that sacrificed a part of their day to show off the activities they love and help us tell our story on how Shriners Children's help keiki thrive! Here are some behind the scene moments on how the day went and we are excited to showcase the amazing things they are able to accomplish thanks to our pediatric orthopedic care.

Shriners Children's is once again proud to participate in the annual Laulima Giving Program which helps meet the needs of keiki in our community who desperately need school supplies. We will be accepting school supply donations outside of the Kapolei Walmart this Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., together with our friends at Keiki O Ka 'Aina Family Learning Centers. Hope to see you there, and mahalo for helping our keiki thrive!

Patients, families and visitors to our hospital on Thursday, July 11 may notice some unusual activity during the day. Although several of our staff at Shriners Children's Hawaii will be participating in a RIMPAC disaster drill, we assure you that our hospital will remain fully operational and that scheduled appointments and surgeries will not be affected.

If you have any questions, please contact us at (808) 941-4466. Mahalo!

Congratulations to our very own Dr. Jonathan Pellett, MD for being recognized as a Top Doctor for the past five years, earning him his Legacy status! We are so thankful for his years of dedication and always working towards our mission to providing the highest quality of care for our keiki. You can read Dr. Pellett's full article in the June 2024 edition of Honolulu Magazine.

Earlier this month, our staff went the extra mile for one of our patients, JV, when they found out he would not be making it back home in American Samoa for his high school graduation. Not wanting him to miss out on this important milestone, a group of our amazing staff decided to plan a special graduation in Recreation Therapy.

Patient, families and staff were invited and cheered as JV wore his cap and gown to receive his recreated diploma. After his ceremony, everyone lined up to congratulate him as he received multiple lei.

"High school graduation is such a huge milestone, so if we can do something to help commemorate that accomplishment, we should try," Helene Freni-Rogers (recreation therapy manager) said. "JV was also surprised at the lengths we went to make it special!" Mahalo to our amazing staff for making such a wonderful memory for our patient, and congratulations to JV on graduating! 👏🎓

Who says that healthy food can't be tasty? Our Nutrition team once again held their Tasting event at our Honu Café, with their own creation of a golden lentil curry, highlighting ʻolena (turmeric)! Patients, visitors, and staff got to enjoy a tasty treat during lunchtime while also learning of the amazing ʻolena and the health benefits it comes with.

ʻOlena has natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which can help reduce symptoms of arthritis. It has also been shown to help reduce ones blood pressure and bad cholesterol, in addition to many other health benefits. Mahalo to our Nutrition team for always coming up with tasty yet fun and healthy ways that we can enjoy our food to help reap the benefits! 😋

The staff at Shriners Children’s Hawaii would like to extend their condolences to the family of Hawaii-born actor Taylor Wily, who passed away yesterday. Known to many as “Kamekona” on Hawaii Five-O, Taylor took time to visit our keiki and take pictures with them, spreading smiles and laughter. Mahalo Taylor, your spirit will continue shining brightly in our hearts.

We were so excited to once again have our annual get together, in celebration of Wishbone Day, with our osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) families! A whole day was planned for our OI patients and families that included fun activities and entertainment, delicious food and great company. Throughout the day, staff were also encouraged to wear the official OI color (yellow) which symbolizes optimism and a positive future.

What is OI? Also known as brittle bone disease, it is a rare genetic bone disorder that causes bones to become weak and break easily. Even though it is a lifelong condition, our patients don't let that hold them back and are the definition of "unbreakable"!

Happy Father's Day to all the superhero dads out there that provide unwavering love, support, and guidance everyday. Today, we honor all the dads that use their superpowers to help us live our best lives. 💕

Last week, we were honored to be invited as an exhibitor at the Keiki O Ka Aina (KOKA) Hoike (graduation) at Keehi Lagoon Park, where they celebrated another year of growth and learning through their children and family programs. Participants visited various tables to learn about helpful resources and organizations within the community and our very own Claire Paelma, MA and Allyce Hoke, RN from our outpatient department spent the morning chatting with over a hundred people about the services we offer to keiki. “It was great being able to speak with so many people and pass out some of our swag at the event!” said Claire.

Mahalo to Keiki O Ka 'Aina Family Learning Centers for affording us the privilege of engaging with their families!

Today we celebrate King Kamehameha Day and honor Kamehameha the Great, an exceptional leader who unified the Hawaiian Islands and brought unity and the aloha spirit together!

How are you spending this aloha Tuesday?

As pickleball grows in popularity, weʻd like to thank Mahalo Mini Horses and Pickleball owner Valerie VanderVeer and her friends for spending time with our keiki every other week teaching them how to play. “We have a lot of fun with the kids and the game helps their hand-eye coordination and builds confidence,” said Valerie.

What made last week's visit extra special were two surprises Valerie arranged – a special goodie bag for the kids, and a visit from national pickleball champion Steve Cole and his wife Denise! Steve and Denise flew from Vegas and were celebrating their anniversary on Maui when Valerie told them about their visits to Shriners Children's, and the couple decided to spend some time giving pointers to our keiki who enjoyed every minute of it!

Mahalo to Valerie, her pickleball group, Steve Cole and Denise M. Cole for brightening everyone's day!