CMN accepts $5,000 donation from Waiohai golf tournament

NAWILIWILI — Taislee Simao celebrated her second birthday Sunday, and on Monday, Stacey Acma of the Hawai‘i Children’s Miracle Network Hospital accepted a $5,000 check from Simao and the Marriott’s Waiohai Beach Club ‘Ohana.

The presentation took place on the No. 9 hole of the Kaua‘i Lagoons Kiele Moana Course, the site where Simao and the Waiohai ‘ohana hosted the first of what is hoped to become an annual golf tournament benefiting the CMN.

The Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children is the CMN hospital in Hawai‘i and Simao learned firsthand, the benefits it offers parents.

Simao, a front desk associate with the Waiohai, and his wife, Stephanie, experienced a parent’s worst nightmare when Stephanie was six months pregnant.

She had to be transported to Kapiolani Medical Center on O‘ahu where Taislee was delivered three months prematurely and requiring advanced specialized care.

During the three months of intensive care and hospitalization Taislee required, the Simaos experienced the support and offerings of CMN.

“Marriott is a proud sponsor of CMN and Waiohai’s ‘Ohana supports this worthy non-profit organization dedicated to providing health care services to all children in need,” Simao said in a letter announcing the tournament earlier this year.

“Our daughter was born premature in 2009, but today, she is a thriving, healthy and active toddler thanks to the top quality medical care she received while under the expert care at Kapiolani Medical Center through the support of CMN.”

Simao consulted with the Waiohai ‘ohana to organize and plan the tournament as a way to give back for the miracle of life CMN blessed himself and countless other families.

The grateful Simao family “just hung out at the beach” and enjoyed each other’s company during Taislee’s second birthday.

• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.