“Mai ka piko o ke po'o a ka poli o ka wāwae, a la'a ma nā kihi 'ehā o ke kino.”

From the crown of the head to the soles of the feet, and the four corners of the body.

My 16 year old niece, Kealaponoʻokealoha Fernandez-Leong (Keala), was recently diagnosed with cancer. During a routine wellness check up this past Thanksgiving weekend, her pediatrician found a lump on her neck. The following week Keala was sent to Kapiolani for further testing confirming Hodgkin Lymphoma. To say her and her ʻohana’s entire world has been flipped upside down is an understatement.

Keala lives with her ʻohana in Kailua-Kona on Moku O Keawe. Keala is the middle child of Tasha Fernandez. My cousin Tasha is one of the strongest, most resilient woman I know. She is an amazing single mom who works hard and makes tremendous sacrifices to give her kids the best she can in life. Life is hard enough raising 3 young girls all by herself so I want her to know that she has a huge kaiāulu (community) here to support her.

Keala is a boarding Junior at Kamehameha Schools Kapālama Campus. She’s a quiet, kind hearted soul who enjoys reading books and listening to music. If you ever had the chance to speak with her, you’ll quickly notice that she's wise beyond her years. Her favorite artist is Lana Del Rey. She recently started paddling for KSK but had to withdraw due to her diagnosis. Keala has two sisters, Aonani and Kealaula. Aonani is Senior at UH Mānoa majoring in Human Development. Her youngest sister, Kealaula, is an 8th grader at Kealakehe Intermediate.

We humbly ask for everyone to please pray, donate, and share this fundraiser to help our efforts to raise funds for Keala’s cancer fight. Your generous donations made in any amount are appreciated by the family. All funds collected will go directly to my cousin Tasha to cover medical bills, including transportation as they will need to fly back and forth from Kona to Honolulu for treatment. Keala is scheduled to go through 5 chemotherapy cycles. My hope is that we are able to raise enough funds so that Keala, Tasha, Aonani, and Kealaula can keep all their efforts focused on Keala’s recovery and not worry about finances.

I will post updates to share with all of you as I hear from the family.

Me ʻoe Kuʻu Mahalo

Heidi