Da Kine
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EXERCISE FOR A GOOD CAUSE
Classes benefit NKFH
You can get in a good workout or two next weekend and help out the National Kidney Foundation of Hawaii at the same time. The Honolulu Club will host two classes instructed by Stephen Lam,, right, who is a former group fitness director at the club. Lam will lead a Muscle Conditioning class at 7 a.m. next Saturday and a Step/Cardio class at 10:30 a.m. Sunday. Club members and the public are invited to participate. Suggested donation is $50 per class or $85 for both classes. All donations go directly to support NKFH. To reserve a space and time, call Mele Young, NKFH, at 596-7575, or e-mail her at
mele@kidneyclothes.org. Hawaii has among the highest kidney failure rates in the nation -- up to 30 percent higher than the national average.
HEALTH
Recovering addicts invited to walk
Residents recovering from substance abuse, along with families, friends and professionals will join in an Addiction Recovery Walk Sept. 30 at Magic Island. Registration will begin at 7 a.m. For more information and a registration form, see
www.hinamauka.org/events/recoverywalk.pdf or call 236-2600, ext. 285.
Hospital honored for reducing costs
The Queen's Medical Center is one of 23 hospitals in the nation to receive an award from a national health alliance for cutting costs of supplies by more than $1.2 million in one year.
The VHA Inc. recognized Queen's with its "Leadership Award for Supply Chain Management Improvement."
Savings occurred in purchasing "physician preference" supplies, such as total joints, spine, pacemakers and defibrillators, and through four different strategies.
The medical center consolidated purchasing functions, developed a cost-reduction process based on data, improved contract compliance and collaborated with physicians, department clinicians, staff and vendors.
Jane Shimabuku, director of Materials & Procurement Administration at Queen's, said, "I'm proud of our team -- our materials staff, physicians, department clinicians and management -- all of whom are now being recognized for this effort."
Annual dinner helps HIV/AIDS program
Gregory House Programs, Hawaii's only HIV/AIDS housing and support services agency, will host its annual spaghetti dinner fundraiser Wednesday.
"Buono Mangiare, 2006" will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Old Spaghetti Factory at Ward Warehouse. It will include an Italian buffet dinner, live music, entertainment, door prizes and a small silent auction. Wine will be provided by The Wine Stop.
Tickets are $35 and are available by calling 592-9022.
The non-profit program serves about 220 individuals and households each month, including those who are most vulnerable and in need. It provides rent assistance through ongoing and emergency rent subsides, utility assistance, temporary shelter, and support services, according to a release.
Gregory House relies on private and public grants, donations and fundraisers.
The program office is located at 770 Kapiolani Blvd., Suite 503, Honolulu.
Grant to improve pain management
The Kapiolani Health Foundation has received $50,000 from the Lance Armstrong Foundation over two years to help improve pain management and quality of life for cancer patients.
"It's really seed money," said Mike Robinson, executive director of the Kapiolani Health Foundation. "It's going to fund a tool we can use to help families assess what they can do for end of life care.
"What's novel is end of life care in most hospitals occurs towards the end," he added. "The assessment tool this grant will fund will enable us to identify resources for families earlier in care."
One of the big problems, Robinson said, "is getting third party insurers to recognize this as part of care we want to provide to anybody."
He said Kapiolani is piloting the program to see how it will work in partnership with the American Cancer society, Kokua Mau, Hospice Hawaii and the Hawaii Children's Cancer Foundation.
The Kapiolani Foundation is one of 27 nonprofit organizations to receive funding from the Lance Armstrong Foundation for programs to help people with cancer.