Disease Prevention & Health Programs »»

Kauai United Way's Participating Agencies can be roughly divided into five categories. One of these categories is Disease Prevention and Health. The percentage of dollars devoted to each can be found in our Annual Report (located in About Kauai United Way).

Women presenters of Malama Pono
fronting their display in Washington, DC.

Photo © Kauai Hospice

Kauai Hospice photo of Aurora Fehring, her husband Alan Dinwall, and their son, Rowan, who were swept away in the Ka Loko dam tradegy.

Obviously, helping people who are ill to be comfortable and receive treatment are important goals for the benefit of our community. But assisting families in coping with their loved ones' traumatic illnesses is also important. Preventing illness and halting the spread of disease is best, because it precludes the need for expensive treatment later (which costs us all) and trauma to those afflicted, as well as their families.

Kauai Hospice not only provides compassionate care to our terminally ill citizens, but also devoted counseling to their families. Hospice extends care to families for as long as they are needed, minimizing trauma, helping people cope and, in this way, preventing other problems down the road.

Malama Pono, the island's HIV/AIDS project, plays a vital role in helping those afflicted with this terrifying illness but also helping halt its spread on Kauai through education. With our help, they have been remarkably successful in controlling HIV/AIDS on Kauai, redoubled their efforts to control other STDs and expanded their work to include the insidious infectious Hepatitis-B and Hepatitis-C - the leading causes of liver cancer in our community - which are treatable if detected early.

Kauai United Way is proud to support these valuable programs which help Kauai people lead healthier, happier lives. They are crucial to the well-being of large segments of our population as well as wise investments in our future.