Summer 2020
WishfulThinking • Note from Trini
Aloha Wish ‘Ohana,
ON THE COVER Camryn’s wish was featured in our virtual WISH! gala this June. If you missed the show, visit youtube.com/makeawishhawaii to hear her story, enjoy a special performance, and more! Read more about Camryn’s wish at hawaii.wish.org/Camryn. Photo: Darcy Fiero Photography
B O A R D O F D I R E C TO R S Jeff Higashi, Chairman Calvert Chipchase, Secretary Manoj Samaranayake, Treasurer Todd Apo Rachel Bradley Tom Calame Erik DeRyke Julianne Erickson Rick Fried Scott Higashi Michelle Ho Charlie Hunter Todd Iacovelli Joe Medwetz Brenda Mitchell Katie Pickman Keri Shepherd Andrew Shimabukuro Brian Wong
From staying home and working remotely to postponing fundraising events and travel wishes due to COVID-19, our world has looked very different over the past few months at Make-A-Wish® Hawaii, as it surely has for all of you. But amidst so much uncertainty, our mission—and the dedication, heart, and generosity of those who make it possible— has remained constant. When we first made the difficult decision to postpone travel wishes and events this spring and summer, we knew that children and families both here in our islands and far beyond would be affected. And, like most organizations, we worried about the economic impact of COVID-19. Each step of the way, however, has reinforced what we already knew—that our Hawaii community is resilient, generous, and truly inspiring. You have rallied behind our wish kids once again at a time when they needed it most. You’ve made much-needed gifts, donated airline miles that will help grant travel wishes as soon as it’s safe to do so, joined virtual wish granter trainings, and recorded heartfelt messages of hope. You’ve written digital letters to our waiting wish kids and funded thoughtful care packages to send their way. You’ve supported our first-ever virtual talent show, Stars at Home, and helped us raise an incredible $60,000 to grant local wishes. And, above all, you’ve let our waiting wish keiki know that there is an entire community of supporters sending them hope, strength, and aloha. I hope you will see the impact of your support in the following pages and that you know how truly grateful I am for each and every one of you. On behalf of the entire Make-A-Wish Hawaii ‘ohana, thank you for continuing to believe in the life-changing power of a wish. Stay Safe and Best Wishes,
Trini Kaopuiki Clark President and CEO
CONNECT WITH US @ M A K E AW I S H H AWA I I
Pictured: : Our Hawaii staff has been hard at work planning wishes and virtual events from home.
MEDICAL MAHALO Mahalo to our Health Care Heroes!
In these uncertain times, one thing we all know for sure— and one thing Make-A-Wish Hawaii has always known— is that our local health care providers are truly heroes. We would like to send a message of thanks to our health care heroes across the state for your dedication to our Hawaii community. For all your patients, including local wish keiki, your compassion and care gives them hope no matter how uncertain or difficult the times. Thank you for all you do to keep us healthy and safe. We appreciate you, today and always.
“When they’re in the hospital for months at a time and they don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel, the wish gives them hope.” -DR. JESSICA KOSUT PEDIATRIC SPECIALIST, KAPI‘OLANI MEDICAL CENTER FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN
Dr. Jeremy King and 12-year-old Kaneohe wish kid Triston
120 120
local keiki diagnosed with a critical illness each year
64%
of local wish kids in 2019 referred by Kapiolani
89%
of medical professionals believe a wish can positively influence a child's health
Photos: Dave Miyamoto
95%
of parents say a wish provides their child the opportunity to view life as more than an illness
hawaii.wish.org • 808-537-3118
WishfulThinking • Recent Events
Hosted on Leap Day this year, February 29th, the 5th Annual Waffles for Wishes brunch took place at the beautiful Aloha Tower Marketplace waterfront. The event featured delicious bites Photos: Abe McAulto
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from Hawaii’s top restaurants, fun carnival games, entertainment from Paula Fuga and DJ Jimmy Taco, and even a live wish reveal! Presented by our Young Leaders Board, this champagne-chic brunch raised over $60,000 to grant life-changing wishes for local wish kids. We would like to extend a heartfelt mahalo to our Young Leaders Board, sponsors, volunteers, vendors, and guests for making this event such a success. A special mahalo to our platinum sponsor, Dr. Thomas and Mi Kosasa, for their generosity.
After making the difficult decision to postpone WISH! A Night in Old Havana at the Sheraton Waikiki until next year, we set to work planning our first virtual gala: WISH! A Virtual Celebration of Hope. The event took place on June 11 and was aired on Hawaii News Now’s K5, as well as livestreamed on all of their digital platforms and our social media channels. It truly was a celebration of hope, featuring messages of aloha from our community, the inspiring story of a Hilo wish child, and a moving performance from New Hope Oahu. Supporters statewide tuned in to the event, placed bids on our silent auction, and made gifts, helping us raise $565,000! Mahalo to our sponsors, especially Alaska Airlines, Nan Inc., and Schuler Family Foundation, for making this event possible, as well as our honorees, wish kids, and virtual guests. And a special mahalo to The Zilber Family Foundation and our leadership community for triple matching all gifts up to $25,000 and helping us exceed our $100,000 goal!
RECENT EVENTS Unprecedented times call for unparalleled imagination. Together with presenting sponsors Domino’s Hawaii and Jersey Mike’s Subs Hawaii, we were proud to present our first-ever virtual talent show, Stars at Home this April. The stars in our community came together to show support for local waiting wish keiki by submitting short videos of their unique talents. With $5 gifts, the community voted for their favorite acts over the course of one week, giving virtual “high fives” to our waiting wish keiki whose wishes were postponed due to COVID-19. All donations up to $30,000 were matched by Domino’s Hawaii and Jersey Mike’s Subs Hawaii, helping us raise over $60,000 for local wish keiki! Mahalo to our sponsors, our talented community, and all who voted for their favorite acts! We’d also like to thank the local celebrities who supported the event through special guest submissions.
Our Winners:
Mahalo!
2nd
1st
AYA OKIMOTO, piano Raised $3,995
3rd
ASHLEY NAGAOKA balloon animals, Raised $2,325
WISH KID ZACH, parkour Raised $2,000
Wish Gala SPONSORS Platinum
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If you missed the show, visit youtube.com/makeawishhawaii to watch! You’ll hear about Camryn’s wish to have a sensory playroom, watch an incredible performance from New Hope Oahu, and see how our community is choosing hope. hawaii.wish.org • 808-537-3118
WishfulThinking • Recent Wishes
CHANGE THE LIVES OF WISH KIDS Mahalo for making wishes like these possible! While these wishes were granted just before COVID-19, we’re excited to share more soon about the non-travel wishes we have still been granting recently with a little creativity and wish magic— wishes for things like a child’s very own bed and a cell phone to keep in touch with family from the hospital.
Photo: Isle Media
“It was a very selfless wish. He wanted to do something for his family and to be with his friends, loved ones, and his church—and that’s really special.” – Glenn Furuya, Leadership Works I wish to have a 16th birthday bash
Mahalo to Leadership Works, pictured here with Christhor, for adopting his wish!
Christhor, 16, Honolulu rare disease
I wish to go to Disneyland® for Christmas
I wish to go to the Super Bowl
Chazlyn, 9, Honolulu
kidney disease
heart condition
"Being able to do something as special as spending Christmas in the most magical place on Earth is something that we will hold in our hearts forever." -Wish Mom Erlynn
Christopher, 16, Wahiawa “After seeing all the NFL players and how much work they have to put in, it made me want to work harder for my goals. Attending the Super Bowl just gave me an even harder push to work, study, and apply myself to get there someday.” –Wish Kid Christopher
I wish to be a princess at Walt Disney World® for my birthday Karley, 6, Captain Cook
cancer
“[The wish] has given her an experience of a lifetime. It has given her hope to not give up and to know that there are others out there just like her battling the same fight she’s going through.” -Wish Mom Lea
GRANT WAITING WISHES LIKE SARAH’S Sarah’s Story
A spunky, free-spirited child, Kapolei wish kid Sarah has loved horses since her first ride at just 2 years old. Her favorite show, “Spirit,” is about a little girl who explores the frontier with her horse of the same name. Sarah dreams of riding and taking care of horses herself, but her battle with leukemia has gotten in the way.
"She loves everything about horses but since her diagnosis she hasn’t gotten a chance to spend a whole lot of time with them.” –Sarah's mom, Caitlin
I wish to be a horse trainer Sarah, 4, Kapolei leukemia
Sarah is currently waiting for her wish to be granted. In fact, more than 30 Hawaii children have had their wishes postponed due to COVID-19 this spring and summer. But for keiki like Sarah, critical illnesses do not get put on pause. And, many of us right now are experiencing just a small glimpse into the daily challenges and anxieties that families like Sarah’s navigate as their normal way of life. Many children persevere through weeks and months in isolation due to medical procedures. Many of them regularly miss school or stay home from field trips and ballet recitals, birthday parties and family gatherings.
Your gift can give hope to waiting wish keiki and change the lives of keiki like Sarah.
Make your gift at hawaii.wish.org. Mahalo for your support. hawaii.wish.org
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808-537-3118
Photo: Jenna Lee Pictures
And that’s why many children wish to reunite with family or spend time out of the hospital having fun and making memories— in Sarah’s case, in the healing companionship of the horses she loves.
WishfulThinking • Recent Wishes
M A H A LO TO O U R
W I S H PA R T N E R S ! All year round, hotels throughout the state welcome wish kids and their families from around the world to experience Hawaii during unforgettable wishes come true. While visiting wishes are currently on hold, these hotels had already welcomed nearly 500 families this year prior to COVID-19. Thank you to our partners for your hospitality and for shining a message of hope and aloha. Here's a snapshot of these partners and the lives they helped change.
“I wanted to let you know how much this trip also meant to me. I felt a sense of serenity.” –Wish Dad An
hawaii.wish.org • 808-537-3118
I wish to meet a mermaid in Hawaii Skye, 6, Oregon leukemia While in Hawaii, wish kid Skye experienced two magical moments: meeting Mermaid Sirenity and celebrating her sixth birthday! The staff at Sheraton Waikiki went above and beyond with a special birthday cake for Skye’s birthday—you can see the joy on her face! After enjoying the “prettiest cake” Skye had ever seen, wish mom Krista says Skye kept turning to the ocean to look for Mermaid Sirenity. “When Skye received her cake, she was so excited and we know she enjoyed every minute she spent here at the Sheraton Waikiki. The Chef did an AMAZING job on the cake. It truly is a blessing for us to be part of Make-A-Wish and [help] these families who go through such a difficult time in their lives. Anything we can do to put smiles on their children’s faces brings tears to my eyes, and I am so grateful to meet all of them.” –Casey Obatake, Director of Operational Excellence, Sheraton Waikiki
I wish to go fishing in Hawaii Kyler, 14, Missouri cystic fibrosis Fourteen-year old wish kid Kyler from Missouri enjoyed the rest and relaxation of Hilton Waikoloa Village and the excitement of catching a 492 lb., 12.5foot blue marlin. “Kyler loved every minute of Hawaii! His deep-sea fishing was so much more than he expected!” –Wish Mom Amy hawaii.wish.org • 808-537-3118
WishfulThinking
PLANNED GIVING: A Q&A WITH AT TO R N E Y GEOFF SOGI
Planning for the future is an essential but often times stressful, confusing endeavor. We asked Geoff Sogi, an attorney specializing in estate planning and long-term care planning at Honolulu law firm Tamashiro Sogi, to answer some of the most frequently asked questions surrounding estate planning and planned giving. Geoff serves on our Young Leaders Board and is a volunteer Wish Ambassador with a heart for the Make-A-Wish mission. Since joining the board last fall, he has been dedicated to leveraging his professional expertise toward making a difference in the lives of wish families and our community.
G EO F F ’S 3 STEP S
FO R STA RT I N G YO U R ESTAT E PLA N: 1. Work with an attorney you trust to create the estate plan. 2. Make sure your attorney knows the types of assets that you own and their values. 3. Think about whom you would trust to carry out your wishes if you could not do so for yourself. It is important to choose people who understand your intentions and will carry them out the way you want them to.
“I was interested in becoming involved with an organization that allowed me to make a direct impact on a person’s life.” - Geoff
Geoff and fellow Young Leaders Board member James Ka volunteer at last year’s Give Wishes Wings radiothon and telethon.
Q: What is estate planning? A: Estate planning involves planning for the unfortunate event of serious illness or death. It often involves documents, such as wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and health care directives, which allow a person to nominate trusted family, friends, or professionals to act on their behalf and provide instructions to determine how any assets will be distributed or managed after the person passes away.
Q: When should people start thinking about estate planning and planned giving? Why is it important? A: Unfortunately, life is unpredictable. We do not know when illness or other emergencies may occur. As a result, it is never too early to create some sort of estate plan. By planning in advance, a person can choose the person they want to act on their behalf in the event of an emergency, which can help to avoid the expense and delay of a court proceeding. If you want any part of your assets to benefit an organization like Make-AWish Hawaii after your death, you should plan in advance by designating the organization as a beneficiary in your will, trust, or on a specific account. Without an estate plan, state law may control how your assets may be divided after your death, which may not match what you want.
“If there is a non-profit group that supports a cause you feel strongly about, I think it is important to lend whatever support you are able to, whether it is time, donations, or something else. By incorporating planned giving into your estate plan, you can ensure that you are able to leave a lasting legacy for the organization and continue to help to grant children’s wishes.” -Geoff
Q: What does planned giving look like? Are there different options? A: There are a number of ways to incorporate charitable giving into your estate plan. Doing so not only provides much-needed resources to Make-A-Wish Hawaii, but it can also have tax benefits for the donor (both during life and after death). Those interested in making a planned gift that occurs after their lifetime may name Make-A-Wish Hawaii as a beneficiary in their will or trust by specifying that the charity is to receive a specific dollar amount or a percentage of the trust/estate. They may also designate the organization as a beneficiary of a retirement plan, life insurance policy, or annuity.
For a longer version of this interview and more helpful estate planning information, please visit hawaii.wish.org/plannedgiving. hawaii.wish.org • 808-537-3118
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WISHES ARE WAITING, BUT YOU CAN HELP! Here are 3 easy ways you can change a local child’s life today: 1. Make a gift in any amount at hawaii.wish.org. 2. Donate airline miles at hawaii.wish.org/miles. 3. Book a staycation at ‘Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach—enter the code LOVEWISH, and a portion of your stay will support Make-A-Wish Hawaii.
Mahalo for wishing with us!
I wish to have a backyard oasis Ryder, 8, Pukalani skeletal disorder
