WORKING TO FIND THE CURE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Christopher M . Yasuma PRESIDENT
President ’ s Message
Aloha , friends and supporters of the UH Cancer Center !
Rex T . Chang
VICE-PRESIDENT
Mitchell Taira TREASURER
Adelia C . Dung Spencer Dung Dennis E . Francis Sheri-Ann Higa Dale T . Kobayashi Monica McLaren Don Murphy Jason K . Nagai Penelope Rogers
If you ' d like to learn more about the Friends and support us with a donation , please visit friendsofuhcc . org
During this season of thanks and joy , I am grateful for your continued support of the University of Hawai ‘ i Cancer Center . I am also looking forward to welcoming Dr . Naoto Ueno as the new Director of the Center .
The pandemic heavily impacted our clinical trial office in Hawai ‘ i , as well as those across the nation , due to staffing shortages and lack of patients .
Dr . Jonathan Cho , a former Friends board member , is the Medical Director of the Clinical Trials Office . In support of his mission to increase the number of participants in clinical trials , we ’ re encouraging all of you to help get the word out to friends , family , and co-workers to think about joining a clinical trial .
Whenever you or a loved one needs treatment for cancer , a clinical trial is an option to consider . Trials are available for all stages of cancer . It is a myth that they are only for people who have an advanced cancer that is not responding to treatment .
In a clinical trial , you will have access to treatments and better care that is not available to others . If the trial is more effective than the standard care you receive from your doctor , you may be one of the first persons to benefit . Clinical trial doctors and clinicians will be monitoring you so you will also receive more attention and enhanced care .
When you take part in a clinical trial , you add to the Center ’ s knowledge and help improve cancer care for future patients .
Take a look on the next page for a short list of trials that need patients . Please encourage those you know to consider joining a clinical trial .
Mahalo ,
Christopher M . YasuMa
President , Friends of the UH Cancer Center
A Run for Hope
After a two-year hiatus , the 25th Annual Run for Hope weekend took place on September 9-11 . It was hosted by the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai on Hawai ‘ i Island to benefit cancer research . The event activities included a golf tournament , a tennis tournament , and the Run for Hope — a 10K run and 5K run / walk . Supported by the Friends of the UH Cancer Center , seven Cancer Center staff volunteered at this event along with volunteers from the American Cancer Society ( ACS ).
Volunteers at Run for Hope : Rachel Taketa , Dr . Jonathan Cho , Daveline Ching , ACS volunteer and Hero of Hope , Cliff Martin , Crissy Kawamoto , Todd Kawamoto , Paula Higuchi , and Erin Fukaya ( not pictured ).