Page 17 - MidWeek - Oct 26, 2022

Center’s Support Services Vital To Patients’ Well-being
FROM PAGE 16
(Above) The entrance to the Dr. James T. Kakuda Cancer Center. (Right) Participants gather at the center’s groundbreaking ceremony. PHOTOS COURTESY HAWAI‘I PACIFIC HEALTH
OCTOBER 26, 2022 MIDWEEK 17
KAKUDA:
A Visionary Leader
The Dr. James T. Kakuda Cancer Center at Pali Momi Medical Center is named in honor of the late Dr. James Kakuda, a beloved surgical oncolo- gist, former chief medical officer and chief of staff at Pali Momi, who passed
away unexpectedly in 2018.
Kakuda envisioned a center that would provide the West and Central O‘ahu with a full spectrum of cancer services and access to expert care specialized for the
patient’s exact cancer condition.
Putting his ideas into words, the late Kakuda stated,
“The need for comprehensive and coordinated care con- tinues to increase in our community. It’s unfortunate that cancer continues to impact so many lives, but the ad- vancements in technology and treatments are helping more people fight this disease.
“The coordination of cancer care for patients can be complex, and this new center will help to alleviate that burden for patients residing in Central and West O‘ahu by providing one convenient location for all of their care needs,” he added.
Nurse navigator Noe McGuire has worked at the Pali Momi medical center for nine years, so she’s been there for the Dr. James T. Kakuda Cancer Center groundbreak- ing, opening and beyond.
“I’ve had the honor and privilege of working with Dr. Kakuda, who was just a fabulous person. But his vision really was that cancer patients have a one-stop shop ... I think his vision was just incredible,” McGuire says.
Dr. Jeffrey Killeen, a pathologist and medical director of the Hawai‘i Pacific Health oncology service line, remem- bers, “I actually was involved in recruiting Dr. Kakuda, who this center is named after, because we were wanting him to join us. When I interviewed him, I remember very clear- ly that he had the exact vision that I had been thinking that we know is the best — which could be summarized as multidisciplinary care — meaning all different specialties involved. And that it has a subspecialty focus. There’s a lot of data showing that gives better outcomes, if you give that specialized care.”
DR. JAMES T. KAKUDA
Radiation oncology therapy is provided through Cancer Center of Hawai‘i, which relocated its Lee- ward O‘ahu campus — formerly sited in ‘Ewa Beach — to the Ka- kuda center in 2017 following its opening.
types of cancers, there are many nurse navigators who all have their own specialty skills.
helped are survivor Celeste San- chez. She emphasizes that she’s extremely grateful for the services she’s received at the Kakuda center, particularly since it’s been a one- stop shop for her. Sanchez shares that she’s been treated for lobular carcinoma, which is a type of breast cancer.
This partnership provides access to advanced care services for the residents of West O‘ahu and allows the opportunity for Cancer Center of Hawai‘i and Hawai‘i Pacific Health to combine their respective areas of expertise for a level of coordinated cancer care not previously available on the Leeward side of the island.
She also emphasizes that nurse navigators don’t have to do every- thing by themselves, because there is such a team effort with support among colleagues. In addition to the key role that nurse navigators play, the center also offers patients specialized support groups focused on their type of cancer — which are currently held virtually.
“I did all my mammograms at the women’s health center,” explains Sanchez. “I did my chemotherapy, my radiation and my blood draws here at the cancer center. I still come to the cancer center once a month. I do a maintenance shot for five years. So, it’s been really convenient. I live in Pearl City and I don’t have to go all over to do different appoint- ments.”
Meanwhile, knowledgeable nurse navigators, such as registered nurse Noe McGuire of the Kakuda cen- ter, are one crucial point of contact in the system of care. For example, nurse navigators connected patients to opportunities for more than $1.66 million in financial assistance last year alone.
Dr. Ian Okazaki is a well-known medical oncologist with Hawai‘i Pacific Health cancer centers, which includes the Kakuda facili- ty. He says that he’s very satisfied with his choice of career and work environment.
“As everyone knows, it is dif- ficult just navigating your way through the medical system, but to have a diagnosis of cancer on top of it is stressful to say the least, and most patients are in shock,” Mc- Guire elaborates. “So, really what a nurse navigator does is connect as close as diagnosis with the patient, ensuring they understand the diag- nosis, what the next steps entail, to be a resource they need from diag- nosis, throughout survivorship and years beyond.”
He adds that part of his role is “harnessing all that energy and put- ting it toward the patient and family to get them through whatever their needs are.”
“It’s a family over here. They be- came my family. It was awesome. My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer of the same type, too, so we both did it together here.”
McGuire also explains that be- cause there are multiple different
Among those who have been
“Everybody’s so nice over here. So, it made it really easier for us to go through it,” she says. “Coming to a facility that is so caring and loving makes it easier for the patients, you know?”
“It’s always rewarding because you’ re helping people along their journey. It’s a collaborative effort between you and the patient and the family. It’s what draws people into oncology,” Okazaki says. “It’s that closeness, that intimacy, that you might not see in a lot of sub- specialties.”
She also explains that the com- prehensive team who have been treating her at the cancer center have been instrumental in her well-being.
Citing just a few statistics, in 2021 alone, the Pali Momi cancer program provided 28,594 screening mammograms, 8,778 hematology/ oncology appointments and 15,860 infusion appointments.
Sanchez concludes that the peo- ple, the advanced high-quality care and the facility combined are some of what make Dr. James T. Kakuda Cancer Center such a comforting environment for patients.
17
E