Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 27, Number 4, 1 April 2010 — WALKING FOR THE FIGHT AGAINST DIABETES [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WALKING FOR THE FIGHT AGAINST DIABETES

On the morning of March 20 hundreds gathered at Kapi'olani Park for the 1 1 th annual Step 0ut, a walk to fight diabetes. Team Kaho'onei - whieh included OHA staff who participated in memory of a beloved former staffer and longtime civic club member Wayne Kaho'onei Panoke - eame out to support the cause and raise funds for the Amehean Diabetes Association. The group raised well over their goal of $1,000! Mayor Mufi Hannemann, at center in the back row, and other loeal leaders were present, including Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs president Leimomi Khan, center, and

Vicky Holt Takamine, on Khan's right, who worked closely with Panoke in community activism and was his co-host on the Nā Kai 'Ewalu radio show. Also shown are two of 0HA's participants, Anita Manzano, wearing shades, and Nancy King, at Khan's left. The walk was part of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs' Prince Kūhiō Celebration Events. "This year's events are not only a celebration of the life of Prince Kūhiō but also a way for us to remember the life of Kaho'onei Panoke, who was the heart and soul of these events for the last three years," Khan said in an announcement of the events. According to the Hawai'i Diabetes Report, Native Hawaiians have among the highest diabetes mortality rates when compared with other major ethnic groups. - Photo: Ed Hishioka