hugs for healing

When a child is diagnosed with a life-threatening condition, their family is affected, too. HUGS (Help, Understanding & Group Support) helps ensure no family faces the journey of a child’s illness alone. Megan Chun, senior manager of Provider Reimbursement at HMSA, is a volunteer with HUGS; she shares how the nonprofit is strengthening our community as a whole and reminding us that compassion, togetherness, and hope are just as essential to healing as medicine. 

Heartwarming service
Three years ago, Chun’s friend from college invited her to a HUGS mixer to learn more about the organization. “He had faced health challenges growing up, and the mission of the organization resonated deeply with his personal experiences,” Chun said. “Seeing how passionately he connected with their work made a strong impression on me.”

Since then, she’s been volunteering with HUGS, hoping to make a positive impact on people’s lives. One of her favorite events happens around the holidays, “Every year they host a Christmas party for the kids and their families,” she says. “They have all kinds of games and activities for the kids to do. Seeing the smiles on affected children, their siblings, and caregivers truly warms the heart.”

^{Chun volunteering at the 2023 HUGS Christmas party}

Meaningful impact
Seeing how the families of seriously ill keiki struggled, a group of volunteers at Unity Church on Oahu started HUGS in 1982. They envisioned creating a nonprofit organization providing these families with support, compassion, and aloha. Today, their reach extends to helping families emotionally and financially. “HUGS’ work is vital because no family should face the journey of childhood illness alone,” Chun says. “They provide a community of support that extends beyond the hospital walls.”

^{2024 HUGS Annual Gala. L-R: Andrea Garcia-Gonzalez, Chun (in the hat) Melissa Hoyer, Maureen Purington (HUGS Executive Director), Jayson Antonio, Joe Castenada (President Elect on the board and friend who introduced Chun to HUGS).} 

HUGS services include:

• Monthly respite: Each month, at no cost to families, HUGS keiki and their siblings can enjoy a safe, supervised space with activities so parents have some time off.
• Peer support gatherings: HUGS offers a welcoming place where parents can connect with others going through a similar experience.
• Case management: The case management program, Hookele, which means to navigate, provides extra support during challenging times. Support includes referrals to programs that help with emergency rental or utility payments, job search, child care, counseling, and more. 
• Sibling support: Brothers and sisters of seriously ill keiki can sometimes feel overlooked. That’s why HUGS holds SibCamp, an annual three-day camp for siblings designed to help kids express their feelings, build self-esteem, and connect with others in similar situations.
• Hospital outreach: HUGS staff and volunteers regularly visit keiki and their families in the hospital, helping them cope with fear, anxiety, and boredom. The children receive toys and gift cards to lift their spirits, while their families are offered amenity kits filled with hygiene items and food for use during hospital stays.
• Kokua Cupboard: For the past 40 years, HUGS and the Hawaii Foodbank have partnered to provide non-perishable food to HUGS families struggling with food insecurity.

Get involved
Chun is grateful for her friend who introduced her to HUGS. “While they’re a small company, their impact is huge!” she says. “The community can get involved with HUGS in many meaningful ways, such as donating their time. Volunteers can help at HUGS events, be big buddies for our HUGS keiki, or assist with special projects that bring comfort and joy to families.”

HUGS also accepts monetary or in-kind donations. “Businesses and individuals can support through sponsorships or donations that enable HUGS to continue to provide the services our families need,” says Chun. “Examples of donations for our HUGS families include supermarket or gas gift cards, new and unopened toys, non-perishable food, and diapers. By supporting HUGS, you’re ensuring that our 400 plus HUGS families won’t have to face their journey alone. My experiences with them have stayed close to my heart and continue to motivate me to continue my involvement and support.”

^{Chun (far left) and other volunteers at the 2024 HUGS Annual Gala.} 

Learn more about HUGS by visiting their website.

Photos courtesy Megan Chun

Keeping keiki healthy
Find out ways to keep kids happy and healthy: 

• boba, bonding, and healing at spill the tea café
• children’s health month: keeping keiki healthy
• encourage healthy growth during childhood obesity awareness month
• get your ohana moving during childhood obesity awareness month
• high school girls flag football hits hawaii
• keeping dreams alive
• riding the wave