Hawaiian Hope

“Aloha” is a word so beautiful it has nearly as many meanings as there are Hawaiian Islands, including hello, goodbye, love, kindness, and affection.  We love this encouraging patient testimonial from breast cancer survivor Bonnie McCarthy who received screenings and patient navigation services at The Queen’s Medical Center  in Honolulu, HI—thanks to the generosity of NBCF’s supporters. This support helped her experience the feeling of aloha at a time when she needed it most:

“I moved to Hawaii in 1973, and I can’t imagine living anywhere else because the people here have so much aloha—love. This year I needed that aloha more than ever before. I recently faced financial difficulties and found myself in a situation where I needed a mammogram and couldn’t afford it. Thanks to National Breast Cancer Foundation, I was able to get a mammogram screening. NBCF saved my life. [That] mammogram screening led to the discovery that I had breast cancer. Since my diagnosis and subsequent treatment, my friends and The Queen’s Medical Center have been my support system. My patient navigator has been a true angel. She’s not only helping me through my clinical journey, but more importantly, she’s supporting me spiritually and emotionally.

My advice to anyone facing the challenges of a breast cancer diagnosis is to keep positive and surround yourself with people who love and support you. Live with aloha and take things one step at a time. Aloha NBCF!”

This story reminds us of another meaningful Hawaiian word: ohana. Traditionally, “ohana” means “family”, but movie references to the term have added to the definition: “ohana means no one gets left behind.” This sentiment is similar to our belief that no one should face breast cancer alone. When you support NBCF’s mission and programs, you join the “ohana” that is providing hope, help and the same aloha-love Bonnie described to women across the country. Thank you for joining the mission of Helping Women Now by making a donation, sharing this story on your Facebook page, or signing up for our email updates.