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Director's Veteran Message July 18, 2025

Director's Message

VAPIHCS Veterans, One Team, One Ohana This week I found myself reflecting on this this quote: “Individually we are one drop, but together we’re an ocean”.

This saying is often attributed to Ryunosuke Satoro, a Japanese writer known for his thoughts on unity and collective effort. At VA Pacific Islands Health Care System (VAPIHCS), we all work together as a community to help Veterans and caregivers. Each person brings something special to the team, creating a strong support system. Together, we create a united effort that allows us to make a big difference in serving our Veterans.

Celebrating Our Veteran Caregivers in July

The VA knows how important caregivers are to our Veterans. We really appreciate everything they do and offer a special Caregiver Support Program to help them. This program provides caregivers with the resources and training they need to take care of their loved ones. By helping our caregivers, we ensure our care is focused on both the patient and their family. In July, we celebrate the hard work of caregivers in our program and focus on activities that help them feel rested and ready to take care of themselves too. This support helps both Veterans and their caregivers stay healthy and happy.

Our Caregiver Support Program Annual Summit will take place on July 24, 2025, at the Daniel K. Akaka VA Clinic at 91-1051 Franklin D. Rosevelt Avenue, Kapolei, Hi 96707 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This event is dedicated to celebrating and acknowledging our incredible caregivers. It will feature training sessions, presentations, and detailed information on the Caregiver Support Program. We invite all caregivers enrolled in the Caregiver Support Program to join us for this special day to gain new skills, connect with fellow caregivers, and learn more about the resources available to support them.

Wheeling into the Games

We are thrilled to announce that four extraordinary athletes from our Pacific Islands community will be showcasing their talents at this year’s 44th Annual National Veterans Wheelchair Games. Among them, we have two seasoned competitors returning to the games and two inspiring newcomers who will be participating for the very first time.

As the largest adaptive sports and rehabilitation event for Veterans with disabilities, the National Veterans Wheelchair Games will take place in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Athletes will start arriving July 14, 2025, and the excitement begins with a bass fishing tournament on Lake Minnetonka on July 15th. The Games will officially commence with the opening ceremony on July 17th and continue through July 22nd.

VA Pacific Islands Women Veterans Program Outreach in Guam and Saipan VAPIHCS invites women Veterans to a special two-day outreach event focused on connection, education, and empowerment. The event will take place on July 22 - 23, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (ChST) at the Micronesia Mall center court space 121 & 122, 1088 West Maine Corps Drive Dededo, GU, 96929. 

Attendees will have the opportunity to:

  • Enroll in VA health care on-site
  • Meet directly with VA providers and program representatives

Learn about programs including:

  • VA Women’s Health Program
  • Whole Health Services
  • Mental Health Services
  • Intimate Partner Violence Assistance Program (IPVAP)
  • Military Sexual Trauma (MST) Program

The VAPIHCS Women’s Health program will also be doing outreach in Saipan on July 24, 2025, 12pm to 4pm at the CNMI Office of Veteran Affairs Conference Room, 1364 Anatahan Drive, Capitol Hill Saipan, MP 96950. We invite all women Veterans to join us.

Attendees will have the opportunity to:

  • Learn about specialized health care services for Women Veterans
  • Explore various programs designed to meet the unique needs of Women Veterans
  • Understand the benefits and resources available through the VA
  • Connect with other Women Veterans and support networks

Thoughts from Chaplain Richie

There are few things that we dislike more than irritants. However, in the case of oysters and other mollusks of the ocean, we find an inspirational example in nature of how an irritant can result in a gem of an experience.

From time to time, foreign objects such as food particles and small living creatures make their way into a mollusk’s shell. These particles are called "irritants." To protect itself, the oyster secretes a substance called nacre (or "Mother of Pearl") around the irritant.

As the oyster continues to coat the irritant with layers of nacre, it ends up producing the beautiful pearls adored by humans today. Unlike most other gemstones, which are minerals formed in the earth due to pressure and heat, pearls are the only gems created inside a living organism!

Oysters, therefore, provide an inspirational example of how to transform problems into precious pearls.

Oysters remind us that a key to resilience is being able to meet life’s challenges with the right attitude. What happens inside the oyster is more consequential than what happens to the oyster. Oysters understand that they cannot control everything in their environment, but they can control how they respond. They choose to create a gem out of the challenges that come their way.

When we choose to face our challenges with the right attitude, we not only achieve personal victories but also gain precious experiences that can become pearls of wisdom. These pearls of wisdom can be shared with others facing similar challenges, allowing us to gain the empathy and insight needed to support and encourage them.

Let’s resolve to create pearls from our problems, gaining wisdom that will be treasured by others.

One Team, One Ohana!

Thandiwe Nelson-Brooks, MPH, FACHE 

Interim Medical Center Director

VA Pacific Islands Health Care System

Stay Informed

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