Support the Washington Ohana

This is the story of Hawai'i Army National Guard Staff Sergeant Lance Washington, and his wife Lauren: Last year, Lauren suffered multiple severe medical issues leading to extensive tissue damage to her hands and feet. Unfortunately, her limbs could not be salvaged and the only remaining option was quadruple amputation.

This past January, the skilled surgeons at Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) in San Antonio, Texas, sucessfully amputated Lauren's limbs and she has since been in recovery at the Center for the Intrepid (CFI) located on the BAMC grounds. In late February, Lance returned to Hawai'i with their three young children so that they could resume attending school. Meanwhile, Lauren continues her journey to recovery in San Antonio, undergoing physical therapy and training for prosthetic replacement hands and legs. Lance, a combat veteran, is no stranger to adversity; but Lauren's resilience, tenacity of spirit, and character is nothing short of extraordinary. Despite the loss of her limbs, she remains upbeat and positive, determined to walk again with prosthetics and resume a normal life. Her positive attitude is truly inspiring. The Washington 'Ohana embody a spirit of Aloha to which we all aspire.

Although the Family has received tremendous support from the military and other organizations, they may likely face enormous expense to modify their home to suffice Lauren's needs. Those needs may include: renovations for bathrooms, the kitchen, entrances, wheelchair access (ramps), a powered stair lift for upstairs access to rooms, a new carport and walkway for a wheelchair, possibly a new vehicle with a wheelchair lift, and many other modifications and expenses. In the end, these expenses may amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The members of the Hawai'i National Guard, Hawai'i National Guard Association and Hawai'i National Guard Enlisted Association (HNGEA), along with other community members, have started a grass-roots effort to energize community involvement; to provide broad support for Washington family. The goal is to help modify the Washington Family home, and to likewise ensure the Family has sufficient resources to mitigate any hardship related to Lauren's condition and to provide for any other future needs.

Your support for this very special 'Ohana would be greatly appreciated. Any contribution for this effort would assist tremendously. Thank you very much for your consideration.