Page 16 - MidWeek - Oct 26, 2022

16 MIDWEEK OCTOBER 26, 2022
Named after a vi- sionary physician whose dream be- came a reality, the Dr. James T. Kakuda Cancer Center at Pali Momi in ‘Aiea is prepar- ing to celebrate its five-year anniversary on Oct. 30.
Surgeons Commission on Cancer.
ment options from world-re- nowned experts.
has already welcomed more than 7,100 patients.
and medical director of the Hawai‘i Pacific Health on- cology service line.
subspecialty focused, because you need to have a certain foot- print to do that. It’s patient-cen- tered, as opposed to the tradi- tional model where patients go from office to office to office, maybe across town,” he adds. “Instead, the doctors come to the patient. So, it’s much pre- ferred by the patient.
Currently, it’s the only cen- ter in Central and West O‘ahu that is nationally accredited by the American College of
In addition, the Pali Momi cancer center has established partnerships with Cancer Center of Hawai‘i and Uni- versity of Hawai‘i Cancer Center. It is also a member of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center’s Network Program, which connects communi- ty-based physicians with the latest research and treat-
Located on 24,000 square feet, Dr. James T. Kakuda Cancer Center provides a full-spectrum of services in a centralized location — free- ing patients from the burden of traveling into town or off-island for care. The new- est addition to the center is a multidisciplinary clinic that opened in March 2021 and
A few physical features of the center include specially designed exam rooms for specific types of cancer and procedures, a complete infu- sion suite, onsite pharmacy and lab services, a state-of- the-art conference center and a dedicated telehealth suite.
“While it’s certainly true and important that we have a beautiful center that’s pleasant to be in, that’s com- fortable, it should never be forgotten that the goal is to have the highest-quality, evi- dence-based care given. That comes with the people you bring in,” Killeen notes.
“It’s also been shown to lead to better outcomes, be- cause you can make decisions as a group.”
Playing a leadership role on the care team is Dr. Jef- frey Killeen, a pathologist
“It’s multidisciplinary and
Standing in front of Dr. James T. Kakuda Cancer Center at Pali Momi Medical Center are (from left), Dr. Jeffrey Killeen, nurse navigator Noe McGuire, cancer survivor Celeste Sanchez, Dr. Christopher Tokin and Dr. Ian Okazaki.
Five years after
its opening, Dr. James T. Kakuda Cancer Center at Pali Momi Medical Center remains a standard for high-quality centralized care.
SEE PAGE 17
STORY BY PHOTO BY
Don Robbins Anthony Consillio