What does it mean to be "beautiful"? At Hawaii Pacific Health, we see beauty as the triumph of the human spirit over adversity. What began in 2015 as a fashion show celebrating Hawaii Pacific Health patients who had battled cancer, has now grown to represent all patients who have overcome health challenges. Now a part of the KITV4 Island News, Beautiful Survivors continues to serve as a testament to courage, optimism and strength.
Hawaii Pacific Health "Beautiful Survivors" featured on KITV4 Island News
Every month, KITV4 Island News will share the story of a Hawaii Pacific Health patient who has survived a challenging health condition and is living life to the fullest today thanks to the care received from one or more of Hawaii Pacific Health’s medical centers. Taking inspiration from our recent fashion shows held as part of HONOLULU Fashion Week, the segment is called "Beautiful Survivors" and will air the third Friday of every month on KITV4’s 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts.
Lindsey Spencer was a wife who hoped to start a family. Then she got diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer. Watch her story of courage, hope and inspiration unfold in the video below, or click here to read more.
Featured Stories on KITV4 Island News:
Beautiful Survivor: Lindsey Spencer
Beautiful Survivors: Hunter Gentry
Beautiful Survivors: Tressy Chan
Beautiful Survivors: Casey Emmons
Beautiful Survivors: Noa and Keolamau Yee
Beautiful Survivors: Vicky Holt Takamine
Beautiful Survivors: Bethanie Dela Cruz
Beautiful Survivors: Bruce Naluai
Beautiful Survivors: Ryan Nakamura
Hawaii Pacific Health presents Beautiful Survivors Fashion Show
In its second year as a featured presentation of HONOLULU Fashion Week, Beautiful Survivors is a celebration of the strength of the human spirit. This year’s show featured patients of all ages who have survived life-threatening diseases, including cancer, congestive heart failure, heart attacks, diabetes, premature birth and traumatic injuries. Modeling the latest fashions from various retailers at Kahala Mall, these inspiring patients represented all of Hawaii Pacific Health's medical centers - Kapiolani, Pali Momi, Straub and Wilcox. Emceed by shark attack survivor Mike Coots, the show was the finale to a successful 2016 HONOLULU Fashion Week.
Participants included:
- Jessica Arps – Overcame crushed pelvis
- Minette Fernandez – Congestive heart failure
- Dottie Sunio – Total knee replacement
- James Cook – Colon cancer survivor
- Julie Kobayashi – Heart transplant survivor
- Candie Delagarza – Breast cancer survivor
- Emily Kuraoka – Colon cancer survivor
- Maddox Mariano – Hydrocephalus & craniosynostosis
- KC Carlberg – Ovarian cancer survivor
- Clayton Babas – Overcame morbid obesity
- Punahele and Jeremiah Carnate – Congenital heart defects
- Ted Tokumine – Heart attack survivor
- Valerie Rivera – Breast cancer survivor
- Lehneer Tactacan – Heart attack survivor
- Kamalii, Kapena, Kaolu, Keahi and Kupono Dela Cruz – Born 3 months premature
- Kat Van Kirk – Cancer fighter
- Henk Rogers – Heart attack survivor
- Mike Coots (Emcee) – Shark attack survivor
Read the HONOLULU Fashion Week Article
2015 Beautiful Survivors Fashion Show
Hawaii Pacific Health partnered with HONOLULU Fashion Week and the Shops at Kahala Mall to present “Beautiful Survivors,” an inspiring event celebrating patients of all ages from Hawaii Pacific Health’s family of hospitals – Kapiolani, Pali Momi, Straub and Wilcox – who have triumphed over various types of cancer.
Beautiful Survivors from Hawaii Pacific Health on Vimeo.
Participants included:
- Gigi Chipchase, acute lymphocytic leukemia – 4 years cancer free
- Lara Sugimoto, breast cancer – 2 years cancer free
- Linda Riley, colon and lung cancer – recently completed treatment and optimistic about the future
- Christi Keliipio, breast cancer – 4 years cancer free
- Brenda Wong, breast cancer – 7 years cancer free
- Mary Villamil, breast cancer – 18 years cancer free
- Kassian Neal, bone cancer – 10 years cancer free
- Zeny Agas, breast cancer – 3 ½ years cancer free
- Taylor Tagatac, acute myeloid leukemia – 4 ½ years cancer free
- Spencer Chang, MD, non-Hodgkin lymphoma – 2 years cancer free
- Claire Tong, breast and kidney cancer – 16 years cancer free
- Hunter Park, acute lymphocytic leukemia – 4 years cancer free
- Bruce Naluai, lymphoma – 3 years cancer free
- Anne Yoshioka, breast cancer – 10 years cancer free
- Shanti Woodrow, breast cancer – 1 year cancer free
- Jeff Hendrix and Kai (Straub therapy dog), melanoma – 2 years cancer free
- Lynn Sari, breast cancer – 6 months cancer free
- Michelle Emura, non-Hodgkin lymphoma – 3 years cancer free
- Peola Keahi, breast cancer – 15 years cancer free
- Martha Smith, gynecologic cancer – 5 years cancer free