LIHUE — Vaylen Efhan was full of energy Wednesday, sharing his toy truck and his family with people entering Starbucks at Kukui Grove Center.
“We were here before 7 a.m.,” said Kaulana Efhan, Vaylen’s mother. “Vaylen always gets up early for preschool. He is just so excited to be here, a different place than preschool.”
Four-year-old Vaylen and his family, including mom Kaulana, father Vince “Keola,” and brother Mason Huddy, were on hand as this year’s Ambassador Family along with Nannie Apalla, the March for Babies event coordinator, and Justin Kollar, event chair, to launch the 2018 March of Dimes March for Babies campaign.
Vaylen was born on Jan. 23, nearly eight weeks ahead of Kaulana’s March 24 due date.
“He was premature,” Kaulana said. “Not only that, he ended up with calcification in his brain and liver.”
Kaulana and Vaylen had to stay at the Newborn Intensive Care Unit at the Kapiolani Medical Center for three months.
“It was hard,” Kaulana said. “During most of the time, Keola was not able to be with them, and Mason stayed back on Kauai to care for my mother. We were lucky to have family on Oahu who provided us a place to stay, and a car to get to the hospital. I gave up a place at the Ronald McDonald House because there were other people who needed it more, and we drove 22 miles each way, every day that Vaylen was in the hospital.”
It was during this difficult time the March of Dimes NICU family support staff and volunteers stepped in for the Efhans.
“We really appreciate all the help given to not only us, but all of the other families going through this,” Kaulana said, joining her family at the Team Captain Kickoff for this year’s March for Babies set for April 7 at Lydgate Park.
“Today is the real jump start on the March for Babies,” said Apalla. “This gives our Kauai company teams and family teams an opportunity to see firsthand how the NICU at Kapiolani Medical Center and the March of Dimes work together to help families with early and complicated deliveries.”
Julie Anderson of Bayada Home Health Care was one of the team captains who stopped by to meet the Efhan family and pick up their packets.
It is her first year as a team captain.
“I’ve walked for the March of Dimes before,” Anderson said. “Our goal this year is to raise $500, and we hope to inspire other team captains to set similar goals.”
Diane Melchor of the Macy’s team has been walking for at least 30 years.
”My most memorable walk was when the event was held at the Kukui Grove Park and Pavilion (now the site of Costco). We had so many walkers from Macy’s turn out, and when you looked at the amount of people, it’s such a great feeling of togetherness to see everyone coming out to help keiki and families,” she said. “These children are our future. We need to support them.”
Online registrations can be done by visiting www.marchforbabies.org/event/kauai, or calling Apalla at 634-8743, or emailing napalla@marchofdimes.org.
