LEILA FUJIMORI / LFUJIMORI@STARBULLETIN.COM
Police officer Sheryl Daguio works four days a week at Honolulu CrimeStoppers, taking off Fridays for chemotherapy. She recovers over the weekend and returns to work on Mondays.
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Cancer fails to dampen HPD officer’s outlook on life
Police officer Sheryl Daguio's upbeat personality, incessant jokes and contagious laugh belie a serious illness -- cancer.
Friends host fundraiser for medical expenses
Colleagues of officer Sheryl Daguio are raising funds to help cover her medical expenses. The event is hosted by Sista Sherry, with Hawaiian food, a silent auction and music by Hulili, Chaos and Pacific Heights.
When: 5 to 11 p.m. Sunday
Where: Pipeline Cafe
Tickets: $20 in advance, $25 at the door. For tickets and information, call 529-3353.
Donations: Donations can also be made to "Friends of Sheryl Daguio" at the Honolulu Police Federal Credit Union.
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"We just take a day at a time," she said, smiling. "A CT scan taken today shows the tumors are shrinking. Just have to have a positive outlook."
The 42-year-old police officer works four days a week at Honolulu CrimeStoppers, taking off Fridays for chemotherapy. What began as breast cancer spread to her neck and lung, and she has needed the weekly treatments since January.
She recovers from the chemo over the weekend and returns to work Mondays.
Fellow officer Yvonne Miyasato said, "She's always smiling, always joking around, very upbeat." That was Daguio prior to her illness, and that's what she's like today -- always helpful, very giving, she said.
"It amazes me that she can come to work after going through chemo and have that positive attitude," Miyasato said. "She never looks like she's feeling down. She wants to beat this. She's not letting it get her down."
She finds comfort in being surrounded by her co-workers.
"No use I sit around at home," Daguio said. "Better I come to work and do what I can and be around my colleagues and keep myself busy. They're very supportive, always asking how I'm doing, harassing me."
CrimeStoppers volunteer Bertha Kaui said of her: "You can't find anybody better to work with. Enjoyable. She knows her job."
Kaui also calls her courageous. "She's here all the time except when she gets this one treatment, and you can't even tell, you know."
Unless, of course, Daguio decides to take her bandana and baseball cap off her head.
"I"ll never take it off," she vowed. "I look like Val," she added, looking at the clean-shaven head of reserve police officer Val Huihui Jr.
Huihui also admires her courageousness and always being in good spirits.
"There have been times when you can see there's pain, but she works through it," he said. "I can't imagine the pain itself."
Daguio finds it's better to keep her mind busy with work. And she has the added benefit of doing work that makes a difference.
"It's satisfying when I'm able to use the community's help to identify unknown suspects, or close down drug houses or catch wanted fugitives," she said.
Besides work, Daguio enjoys time with friends and family, keeps busy with crafts, like beading and sewing, and hopes to gain her strength back for dancing hula.