Director’s Message May 30, 2025

Last week we held a small gathering to celebrate our Veteran athletes who will travel to the mainland to compete in the National Veteran Wheelchair Games and the National Veteran Golden Aged Games. Thank you to Recreation Therapy Program Manager Melissa Crawford and our marvelous recreation therapy team for all their hard work getting our Veterans ready to shine. They will be representing Hawaii from May 31, 2025, to June 5, 2025, with our very own Ret. Lt. Col. Edna Higa carrying the sign in the opening parade. Our Veterans who have made a commitment to their health and wellness through training for the games have been working hard and we wish them all success. May they carry with them the spirit of aloha and bring home some gold!

Milestone in Research

VA Pacific Islands Health Care System (VAPIHCS) is proud to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the Center for Pacific Islander Veterans Health (CPIVH). The CPIVH serves Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and US-Affiliated Pacific Islander Veterans in the Continental US, Hawaii, and US Territories (American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas). The Center’s mission is to promote the health of Pacific Islander Veterans to ensure all Veterans have a fair and equal opportunity to attain their highest level of health and well-being.

The center opened on June 4, 2024, and has continued its mission of managing and coordinating research in the Pacific Islands. Health concerns that are location-specific are not unusual, but the Pacific Islands offers a variety of microclimates and unique exposures which make research necessary to determine patterns, causes, and other factors which can be used to improve health outcomes for our Veterans, which is our goal. We are proud of the work the CPIVH is doing and look forward to the positive lasting impact for generations to come.

Hurricane Season Planning

Many emergency management messages suggest that you keep 14 days’ worth of all your medications on hand in case of a storm. However, some of the medications you take may be controlled, and keeping a surplus on hand may not always be possible. Remember that - in most cases - our pharmacy will be able to help you within a week to replace any medications lost in a natural disaster. In disasters when our pharmacy is not available, we do have a program that will allow you to refill medications at local pharmacies. If you are concerned about accessing your medications in case of a disaster, please call our pharmacy staff and get clarification on any concerns you may have: 1-800-214-1306, then press 1.

Remember that there may be no electricity after a disaster, and it’s important to make sure any oxygen machines or other medical devices that require electricity have a battery backup. It is also important that you know your nearest shelter location and what resources are available there. Surviving a natural disaster is more complicated when you have unique medical needs. If you are concerned about your medical needs and want to know more about what you should do during a natural disaster, talk with your doctor. Our staff is well-informed and ready to assist you with any worries that you have. Plan before disaster strikes to ensure your safety no matter what may come.

Thoughts from Chaplain Richie Charles

It’s 1983, and a number of brave athletes lined up to embark on a grueling, ultra-marathon, spanning 543.7 miles from Sydney to Melbourne, Australia. But one man stands out from the group of elite, international athletes. His name was Cliff Young, a 61-year-old potato farmer who at first, showed up to the race dressed in overalls and gum boots.

He ran in a unique, shuffling style, very much different from the rest of the athletes. The race began, and just like many expected, Cliff Young lagged far behind as the other runners easily took the lead.

While Cliff may have not been the fastest runner, Cliff Young turned out to be the most persistent. While the other elite runners would stop to sleep during certain intervals of the race, Cliff kept running, stopping to sleep only for very few moments.

What fueled him? After the race, he admitted that he imagined a storm was coming, and he was chasing sheep across his farm to bring them inside.

At 1:30 a.m. -with 20,000 people watching- Cliff Young crossed the finish line after 5 days, 15 hours, and 4 minutes of running. Not only did he shatter the world record (by about two days), but he was also 9 hours of ahead of his nearest competitor!

At times, life can feel like an ultramarathon that tests every corner of our limitations. Unforeseen hurdles may arise, and unexpected changes may derail even your best-laid plans. But Cliff Young showed us that perfect circumstances alone do not guarantee the best outcomes – if that was the case, then one of the other elite athletes would have emerged as victor.

One Team, One Ohana!
Thandiwe (Tandi) Nelson-Brooks, MPH, FACHE 
Interim Medical Center Director
VA Pacific Islands Health Care System

Stay Informed

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