A quarter of a million dollars supporting efforts to increase the number of medical students and residents-in-training who choose to practice medicine on the neighbor islands and in rural areas of Hawaiʻi
Oʻahu through the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) was raised at the Kūlike Kākou (“stand together”) Gala. Held on April 13, at the Kahala Hotel & Resort, the sold-out event was headlined by Hawaiʻi comedian and UH alumnus Tumua Tuinei, and a performance by Nā Hōkū Hanohano award-winning singer Kamakakēhau Fernandez. UH President David Lassner was also honored for his decade-long stewardship of the university.
Jaimie Tom and Shane Morita, alumni of JABSOM, spearheaded the gala, which marked their 25th anniversary, both in marriage and as graduates of the school. Originally conceived as a class reunion, the event evolved into an opportunity to give back to their alma mater.
Tom is an emergency medicine physician at Kapiʻolani Medical Center for Women & Children and Pali Momi Medical Center, and associate director of admissions for the JABSOM. Morita is now The Queen’s Medical Center’s vice chief of staff and medical director of surgical oncology, and associate professor of surgery for JABSOM.
The gala was an evening of entertainment and camaraderie. Tom and Morita, alongside JABSOM‘s Interim Dean Lee Buenconsejo-Lum, presented Lassner with a custom-made steersman paddle, symbolizing his accomplished leadership.
Gov. Josh Green also attended and acknowledged Lassner’s significant contributions to the university and delivered a proclamation in his name.
“It’s been amazing,” said Lassner reflecting on the decades of service. “UH is the only place I’ve ever had a grown-up job in my life. I’ve worked here my entire career, and the opportunity to give back as president, while unexpected, is just the honor of a lifetime.”
Through generous donations and community support, the gala exemplified the enduring impact of medical education and the spirit of Aloha in Hawaiʻi.
“25 years ago, we would never have thought we would be able to give back to our school in this way,” said Tom and Morita. “Not only did we receive excellent medical training at JABSOM, but we also gained a lifetime partner, three wonderful children (Josiah, Elijah, & Zechariah), and the privilege of returning home to care for our community. For these opportunities, we are forever grateful to the medical school, our parents, our families, and those who embody the essence of the Aloha spirit, who stepped in to help us whenever we needed it.”
Read more on the JABSOM website.
