Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 29, Number 4, 1 April 2012 — Health bus plans stops on Maui homesteads [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Health bus plans stops on Maui homesteads

By Kekoa Enomoto All aboard the health bus at Maui homesteads! The WE . . . A Partnership for Health/ Project Vision bus will make unprecedented stops at Hawaiian homesteads for non-health-fair-related visits this month on the Valley Isle. The unique mobile elinie "wants to connect on every island," said Hau'oli Tomoso, executive director of Hui No Ke Ola Pono Native Hawaiian Health Care Systemon Maui, whieh is a member of the WE eoalihon. "That partnership on Maui ean be replicated on every island, and so every Native Hawaiian Health Care System ean be part of WE. I just like the partnership in relation to the community, including Native Hawaiian communities. I think (the eoalihon) is a stepping-off point, a catalyst, a synergy," he said. WE ... A Partnership for Health/Project Vision bus has scheduled eight Maui visits offering free services to the public over two weeks. Aimed specifically on or near homesteads, the stops are as follows: » 10th annual Hāna Health Fair, April 14, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. » Walmart Kahului, April 15, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

» Upcountry Farmers' Market, April 21, 7 to 11 a.m., Kulamalu Town Center, Pukalani (in the vicinity of Waiohuli, Kēōkea and Kahikinui homesteads). Redeemable $1 kupuna coupons will be available, courtesy of Upcountry Farmers' Market/Senior Nutrition Program. » Lahaina Cannery Mall, April 22, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (in the vicinity of Leiali'i homestead) » Paukūkalo homestead, April 27, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., to also serve Waiehu Kou homestead/Alu Like kupuna program » Kīhei Lutheran Church, April 27, 4 to 7 p.m. » Da Kine Kidney Day, April 28, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Queen Ka'ahumanu Center » Leiali'i homestead community garden, April 29, 1 to 6 p.m., Lahaina WE ... A Partnership for Health/Project Vision bus will provide vision testing; screening for diabetes, cholesterol and blood pressure; and diet and exercise information. Services also may include screening for lung and kidney function and hepatitis; Caregiver Foundation of America counseling; and depression and other mental-health information - "an enormous amount of information and one-on-one dialogue," said organizer Anne Chipchase of 'Ohana Health Care. In addition, the Women's Heahh Center of

Queen's Medical Center will demonstrate breast self-exams and, for low-income/underinsured women, offer mammograms and PAP smears, she said. WE sessions may take up to an hour, she added. "WE specifically looks for Native Hawaiian communities in whieh to work our magic, areas with a heavier concentration of Native Hawaiians," said Chipchase, 67, a 1962 Punahou School graduate who in January founded the WE coalition of nonprofit, government and for-profit health-related entities. WE originally referred to Wellness Event but "eame to mean 'us guys,' " she said. "We don't test Native Hawaiians in exclusion (of others); our mission really is to serve low-ineome, but we are able to do both quite comfortably. "We really work to engage people at a site," Chipchase added. "We are just a bunch of relatively friendly people who want to help." Young Brothers Ltd. absorbs the cost of shipping the 36-foot-long Project Vision bus to various islands for community outreach. Donna Brandl Sterling of Kahikinui homestead on the southwest Hank of Haleakalā said: "This is wonderful. I'U be there!" Malia Davidson of the Waiohuli Hawaiian Homesteaders Association board concurred, "Niee project." Many "would benefit from this great service," added Pua Gomes, Waiohuli board secretary. And Tomoso, the Hui No Ke Ola Pono executive director, is all aboard regarding the health bus' potentially positive impact on homestead families and the wider Maui community. "It is very inspiring, motivating and empowering to me to see this project move forward, especially to the DHHL beneficiary communities of Maui," Tomoso said, referring to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. "We all know that heahh is both a relationship and a journey ... and in this one project, we see relationship and joumey nurtured and progressing towards heahh for all of us." ■ Kekoa Enomolo is a retired copy editor and staff writer with The Maui News and former Honolulu Star-Bulletin.

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