Help Kokua Kia’i John Fight Aplastic Anemia

Kia’i John, our protector, our hunter, and fisherman is a strong, active, and loving 13 year boy in the 7th grade at Hana school in East Maui. He loves spending time with his family, mom, Pumehana, dad, Chevy, 2 younger sisters Kaia (10) and Ka’iwa (6), Mama Lei, and all his cousins. His passions are being outdoors, fishing and hunting, and providing food from the aina (land) for his ohana (family). Kia’i means guardian or protector in Hawaiian, and that is who he is, our family’s protector and guardian!

 

Around Thanksgiving of 2021, his whole life changed when he began to feel very ill with flu-like symptoms. The few doctors on Maui, whom he went to see, each doing a variety of tests to try and figure out what could be causing these symptoms, were unable to give any answers. With failing to determine the cause, they flew Kia’i and his mom to Oahu to seek advanced medical care and hope for better results. After 2 weeks of being in the hospital on Oahu with no improvement and signs of liver failure, a difficult, yet very necessary decision was made to fly to Stanford Children’s hospital in California, 2,500 miles away from his home and family on Maui.

 

On January 12, 2022, Kia’i was diagnosed with aplastic anemia, a very rare and serious bone marrow disease. The only known “cure” for this critical disease is a stem cell transplant and his best chance at a fully matched donor are his sisters. Both procedures, the stem cell transplant, and the stem cell donation have many risks and doctors expect Kia’i to remain in California for at least 3-6 months where he will undergo more tests, blood transfusions, a stem cell transplant, and close monitoring.

 

Kia’i and his mom are far from home and family and face a heavy financial burden of medical bills, lodging, food, and transportation. We need your kokua (help) to make it through this challenging time.

 

Kia’i is our protector and it is our turn to protect and support this long road of healing for Kia’i and his mom in California and also his 2 sisters and family at home in Hana. Please continue to lift Kia’i and his family up in prayer, that he will be healed and will return home to hunt and fish again with his ohana in Hana, Maui. Mahalo nui loa (Thank you!!)

 

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mark 11:24