Commitment to advancing cancer care in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific

Our initiative

Ka ʻUmeke Lama is a pioneering initiative to transform cancer care in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific.  In collaboration with fellow Hawaiʻi Cancer Consortium members members (Hawaiʻi Pacific Health, Hilo Benioff Medical Center, Queen’s Health Systems, HMSA, Kuakini Medical Center, and Adventist Health Castle), our goal is to erase disparities in cancer outcomes and ensure everyone will have access to high-quality cancer care, regardless of background or geography.

Highlights of Ka ʻUmeke Lama

Oncologic Education and Workforce Development

  1. Establishment of a medical oncology fellowship program focusing on health disparities, geriatric oncology, and drug development
  2. Integration of statewide oncology curricula, including support for Hawaiʻi's neighbor islands
  3. Cultural competence training for healthcare professionals

Addressing Health Disparities

  1. Deployment of oncology providers and early cancer detection units to rural and underserved areas
  2. Development of telehealth systems to address professional isolation of healthcare providers
  3. Launch targeted clinical trials and cancer-screening programs addressing cancer disproportionately affecting Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders

Enhancing Clinical Research

  1. Cultivating wider awareness of and participation in clinical trials across diverse communities
  2. Creation of a centralized clinical research database and integration of precision medicine
  3. Introduction of AI-based cancer clinical-trial screening and monitoring tools

Recent Events

  1. Ka ʻUmeke Lama initiative launches to transform cancer care, erase disparities in health outcomes in Hawai‘i and the Pacific
  2. Hilo Benioff Medical Center joined Hawai'i Cancer Consortium.
  3. University of Hawai'i Cancer Center joined the Sarcoma Alliance for Research through Collaboration (SARC) to support research for the prevention, treatment, and cure of sarcomas. 
  4. Medical Oncology Fellowship program planned to open in 2027 for enrollment.

Leadership Team

Hideko Yamauchi
Dr. Hideko Yamauchi

Stephanie Si Lim
Dr. Stephanie Si Lim

Naoto T. Ueno
Dr. Naoto T. Ueno

Sam Shomaker
Dr. Sam Shomaker

Teruo Yamauchi
Dr. Teruo Yamauchi

Lee Buenconsejo-Lum
Dr. Lee Buenconsejo-Lum

Contact

For additional information, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.