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Aloha Kōkua Mau,
Thank you to everyone who submitted testimony for the POLST Legislation (see below for details). Lots of supportive testimony was submitted and the bills are moving forward. I hope you can join us at the Palliative Care Salon on February 20 - a great opportunity to talk with colleagues about palliative and hospice care. And please note - there will be NO Monthly Kokua Mau meeting in February but we will meet again Thursday, March 27th.
And finally thank you to those who have renewed (or begun) their Kokua Mau membership for 2014. To others who are waiting or searching for their check books or credit cards - it is not too late. Full details and benefits are at the end of the newsletter. Thank you for your support.
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POLST Legislation UPDATE
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Thanks to everyone who submitted testimony for the Kokua Mau sponsored legislation to expand signing privileges for POLST to include APRNs. Bills were introduced in both the House and Senate which is why we have asked for your testimony so often. The bills are both moving along well so there will be 2 more opportunities to submit testimony: to the Judiciary Committees for both the House and Senate. (Yes, you must submit testimony to every committee although you can use the same testimony each time.)
The House Bill (HB 2052) passed the Health Committee and should be passed out of Consumer Protection and Commerce Wed. Jan. 12 and then be heard by the Judiciary Committee. The Senate Bill (SB2227) has also been passed by the Health Committee and we hope will now be heard by Senate Judiciary Committee.
Background: This year we at Kōkua Mau have been working with Sen. Roz Baker, Sen. Josh Green, Kupuna Caucus and other policy advocates to introduce a bill that will expand signing privileges for POLST to include APRNs. The bill will also clear up some inconsistent legal language.
Please submit testimony for HB 2052 here. You have to sign in on the Hawaii State Legislature homepage (if you have submitted testimony before) or register in the top right corner to submit testimony.
Please contact Jeannette if you have any questions.
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New Officers for Kōkua Mau Board
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Kōkua Mau has new board leadership. Please welcome our new Executive Committee:
Linda Axtell-Thompson, DBioethics, MBA - Board Chair
HMSA, Asst. VP, Strategy Management and Privacy
Daniel Fischberg, MD, PhD, Vice-Chair
Queens' Medical Center, Medical Director, Pain & Palliative Care Dept
Rebecca Ward, Treasurer
President, Ward Research Inc.
Lori Miller, Secretary
Executive Director, Kauai Hospice
Many thanks to our outgoing leadership who have served for the last 3 years:
Emese Somogyi, MD, Board Chair Medical Director, Castle Medical Center Palliative Care Program Ken Zeri, RN, MS, Vice-Chair
President & CPO, Hospice Hawai'i Gary Simon, Treasurer Executive Director, St. Francis Hospice We would also like to thank our wonderful pro pono accountant Chris Laroza, CPA, a local tax preparer at Carr, Gouveia & Associates, CPAs, Inc. Chris has generously donated his time and talents to Kōkua Mau for the past two years and hopefully more to come.
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2/12 Grand Opening of the Hawaii Palliative Care Center in Hilo
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Congratulations to Hospice of Hilo on the Grand Opening of the Hawai`i Palliative Care Center.
This new line of service will provide care coordination and comfort to help address the pain and anxiety many of patients are facing. They hope to improve the support system for patients and loved ones and alleviate the strain due to patients' complex care needs.
For those of you in Hilo, be sure to stop by the Grand Opening
Wednesday Feb. 12, 2014
5:00-6:30pm
Hawaii Palliative Care Center
590 Kapi`olani Street
Hilo, HI 96720
P (808) 934-2913
The Palliative Care Program will offer people:
- A team dedicated to alleviating your pain and symptoms
- Professionals able to explain all your health care options and advocate your wishes
- Staff and volunteers committed to helping you live better
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Advanced Care Planning on HPR
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On Monday Feb. 3, Hawaii Public Radio's "The Body Show" with Dr Kathleen Kozak featured the topic: Advanced care planning. She had an hour long conversation with her expert guests Kristin Bathen and Kathy Filbeck from Ohana Medical Group and calls from listeners. Kokua Mau is mentioned as an important resource.
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| 4/12 Oncology on Canvas | This year all 4 hospitals will celebrate Oncology on Canvas on the same day! Please call and register to make sure there will be enough food and supplies.
Saturday, 12 April
9am-3pm
Queens: Queen Emma Tower 7th floor
Contact Darlene Sardinha to register (691-8984)
Kaiser: Mapunapuna Maile Room, 2nd floor
Contact Nalani China to register (432-5821)
Kapiolani: Conference Room A, 2nd floor
Contact Joyce Wong to register (983-8333)
Tripler: 10th floor, Oceanside
Contact Pat Nishimoto to register (433-4087)
Oncology on Canvas helps people living with cancer and those that love and care for them to cope with disease through art. No previous art experience is needed, there are no age restrictions and everyone is welcome!!
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Save the date: Thur. 2/20 What's on your mind about palliative care?
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What's on YOUR mind about Palliative Care as the New Year begins? Come share your thoughts and talk story about issues you would like to share. Thursday, February 20- Please note the correct date!!
5:15 - 7:00 pmPlease note: Only in February there is an alternate meeting venue at:
Red Room at
Capital One 360 Cafe
1958 Kalakaua Ave, Honolulu, HI, 96815
This venue is the best kept secret with free (!) parking in Waikiki, while you are at the cafe. There is parking right behind mauka of the cafe and an overflow lot around the block. Please RSVP and you will get detailed parking instructions. As the name implies the cafe sells coffee, tea, baked goods and sandwiches at prices unheard of in Waikiki.
Please RSVP to Leanne Logan or Pat Nishimoto. |
3/14 Caregiving and Grief...Awakening Heart and Soul
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Third Grief Conference in Hawaii presented by St. Francis Hospice March 14, 20148:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.Ko'olau Ballrooms and Conference Center, Kaneohe 45-550 Kionaole Road, Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744 This third grief conference, presented by St. Francis Hospice, is specifically designed for healthcare professionals, social workers, counselors, chaplains, caregivers, and lay persons seeking ways to find meaning and wisdom in caregiving and grief. This year we have invited speakers internationally known for caregiving and grief-related training in healthcare, community and business. Detailed program and PDF poster on our websiteEarly bird registration before Feb. 14, 2014: Online: $99; Mail-in: $120. After Feb. 14: Online: $130; Mail-in: $150. For questions about registration, contact 808-547-8129 or visit www.stfrancishawaii.org. |
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Please Join Kōkua Mau and Support our work!!
As 2014 kicks off we encourage you to please renew your Kōkua Mau Membership. Or become a new member as a great New Year's resolution? In honor of 2014 we are striving for 114 members this year. And yes, membership is tax-deductible.
Membership and donations are an essential part of keeping Kōkua Mau fiscally sustainable. Individual Membership starts at $40 although the average membership is $100 and we welcome any level of support. We especially encourage organizational membership by community leaders that support our mission. Please contact Jeannette for details.
And indeed, with all donations going into programs we don't offer you a t-shirt, a tote bag with our logo, or even a pencil. We can offer you: the low cost version of a virtual Kokua Mau mug.
How do I join?
Please download our membership form and put it with a check in the good old mail. Or all online: chose your membership level and click the Donate Now button on the right hand side of the webpage. Please put 'membership' in the 'Designation (Optional)' field, click 'add to giving cart' and follow the subsequent steps. We know, the free version of network for good does not look exciting but it is free. Thank you!
Benefits of Joining Kōkua Mau?
Kōkua Mau, is a local non-profit, community-benefit organization. (We are not a state agency!) Kōkua Mau is fueled by the passion of dedicated volunteers with a lean budget and every penny spent on making our work possible. Your generous tax-deductible gift will allow us to have a real impact on improving quality of life for those with serious illness and their loved ones.
For over 14 years, Kōkua Mau has been a voice for outstanding hospice and palliative care and services in Hawai'i, providing high-quality information, trainings and ever growing networking opportunities.
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Best wishes,
Jeannette Koijane
Executive Director
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Join Kōkua Mau as a members now for 2014!
Membership is the backbone of Kōkua Mau's budget and helps us to be a financially sustainable organization. Just follow the steps outlined on our website. |
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