A mother’s plea

Get your kicks and help a sick baby

Hauula has come together to help single mom Hollie Nakachi pay major medical expenses for her baby girl, Tahlia Umiamaka, who was born with three holes in her heart five months ago and has been in and out of the hospital.

How you can help » To register for the Coed Kickball Classic or to donate items for a silent auction, e-mail helptahlia@gmail.com; fax 293-9139; or call Hefferman at 864-7488, or Aea at 393-0492. » To donate cash to the Tahlia Umiamaka Relief Fund, go to any Bank of Hawaii branch.

Brandy Burke, Bu Hefferman, and Pearlinda Aea heard Nakachi's "plea for help" and wanted to get the community involved, Burke said.

They are organizing the first Koolauloa Community Coed Kickball Classic at Hauula Community Park May 24 and 25, starting at 9 a.m. The $125 entry fee will go to helping Tahlia. Burke said 18 teams (of about a dozen people) have signed up, but registration is still being accepted.

"Hearing about a mom doing everything just to make ends meet -- it's remarkable. She just can't do it alone. If we can help in some small way so that her child lives another day, that's rewarding in itself," Burke said.

"I started crying," said Nakachi, when she learned about the tournament. The circumstances of Nakachi's plight were first publicized in fliers she tacked to telephone poles in February, requesting garage sale donations to raise funds for a down payment on her daughter 's emergency heart surgery March 11.

Until recently, Nakachi was turned down by different medical insurance companies for her medically fragile baby, born with three holes in her heart and a stiff heart valve. Nakachi, who is also raising two other children, had to quit her job as an emergency room technician for Kaiser Permanente when Tahlia was born three weeks prematurely. Nakachi is receiving assistance from the state welfare department, and just "living day to day," she said.

It was Hefferman who thought holding a kickball tournament would increase participation because men and women could play together. The event was started for Nakachi, and will be held for anyone else who needs a helping hand in the future, he said.

"Me and my family always try to help people. People just got each other -- that's it," Hefferman said.

Nakachi's friends in the Hawaii Motorsports Association have already raised over $8,000 in an event held April 27 at the Kahuku Motocross raceway. They formed a nonprofit organization, "Hawaii Ola," to help with medical bills because "Hollie's always been there for everybody," said association Director John DeSoto, adding that Nakachi is the raceway medic. They plan to hold another fundraiser in July.

Tahlia finally began receiving Medicaid coverage May 1. Nakachi doesn't know yet how much her expenses will total, as the bills not covered by insurance are arriving now but total more than $50,000.

"I dread opening the mail," she said. But at least, Nakachi added, "She's breathing, she's alive and she's home."

Nakachi is alone in her round-the-clock vigil, caring for Tahlia, who has a habit of holding her breath, turning blue and passing out, she said. Because she needs to be given several medications throughout the day, even nursing agencies won't do caregiving services due to the liability risk, Nakachi said.

"So it's just me ... scared and tired -- it's overwhelming," she said.

"Major prayer" is the only thing that keeps her hanging on. Her pastor has said, "God not going give you something you cannot handle," Nakachi added.