Page 36 - MidWeek - Oct 20, 2021

36 MIDWEEK October 20, 2021
Carrying on the Legacy of Caring: Supporting Hawaii’s Families in Tough Times
We’re Here for Hawaii’s Families

In the 19th century, there was an outbreak of Hansen’s disease in the world.“Leprosy,”as it was called back then, eventually reached our island shores. Many Native Hawaiians did not have the immunity to fight the infection.
A new, unprecedented law was enacted in
Hawai‘i — the 1865 Act to Prevent the Spread of Leprosy, which sentenced those with the disease to permanent exile like criminals, isolated from their family and community. Many were transported to Kalaupapa on Moloka‘i, a natural prison, with no medical care and few provisions.
Native Hawaiians did not define the disease by what it did to their bodies, but what it did to their ‘ohana. It was called mai ho’oka’awale, which means “the separating sickness.”
King David Kalākaua issued a desperate plea for help, calling upon a number of different religious orders to intervene.
Only one group responded: the Sisters of St. Francis. They came ready to serve, restoring dignity and hope to the people of Hawai‘i.
Today, our St. Francis Healthcare System team members carry on the Sisters’ legacy of caring. Our team members are rising to the challenge of providing care for the whole person during this season of pronounced uncertainty and isolation.
While COVID-19 has forced us to distance physically, St. Francis remains resolute that the virus will not keep us apart socially.
We are meeting Hawaii’s families in new ways – building social connections with caregivers virtually, helping transport seniors to and from their medical appointments and essential activities, serving homebound seniors and hospice patients safely in their homes, and checking in with families often to make sure no one is forgotten or overlooked.
COVID-19 has affected us all. But our St. Francis Healthcare System team members are steadfast in their support of Hawaii’s families. They bring joy, stability, and life-giving connection in the toughest of times – serving with the same spirit of faith and enthusiasm as the Sisters of St. Francis.
On behalf of all of our St. Francis, thank you for the honor and privilege to serve you.
Live Every Moment
(808) 547-6500
info@stfrancishawaii.org stfrancishawaii.org