When my father was dying, I truly believed I had to hold everything together on my own.

I’m an only child. I’ve always been independent. I run my own business, and I’m used to carrying a lot. When something hard happens, my instinct is to take a breath and keep going. So when my dad became sick, that’s what I did.

I had two young daughters and aging parents to care for. I was holding everything together the best I knew how, without stopping to ask who could help.

I didn’t realize how much we needed support until we had it.

My dad lived by simple values: family, joy, service, perseverance, and faith. Near the end, it wasn’t the big things that mattered. It was the small ones. That’s what Navian Hawaii understood from the beginning.

Because of donors like you, my dad was able to stay at home, where he felt safest and most loved. What stays with me isn’t just where he spent his final days, but how our family was cared for.

There were quiet, human moments that made all the difference.

When my dad was uncomfortable, someone eased his pain.

When my mom needed to talk, someone listened.

When I didn’t know how to help my daughters through their grief, there was guidance and patience.

Navian Hawaii didn’t just care for my father. They cared for all of us.

After he passed, they gave each of my daughters a teddy bear with their Papa’s heartbeat inside. When they miss him, they can hold him.

This past year, on my dad’s birthday, my daughters and I went to Baskin Robbins for ice cream — his tradition. Fridays after school, always chocolate, always a full scoop. It felt like a small way to keep him close. And it’s something we’ll keep doing every year.

Families across Hawai‘i experience moments like these every day because of Navian’s care. Much of this support — especially the emotional and practical touches that help people feel less alone — exists because donors believe compassion should never be optional.

As an only child, I once thought being strong meant doing it on my own. What I learned is that letting people in is also strength.

Being part of Navian Hawaii’s Women’s Initiative feels like a way to carry my dad’s legacy forward, ensuring this level of care is there for every family who needs it.

This Spring, I’m asking you to give so no family has to go through this alone.

Your generosity makes care possible that feels deeply human:

• Someone to answer when you don’t know who to call
• Support for caregivers carrying more than they imagined
• Guidance for children learning to grieve
• Small, meaningful moments families carry forever

I can’t change what my family went through. But together, we can make this journey gentler for the next family.

If you’re able, I hope you’ll give this Spring.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Lori Kohara
Daughter, mother, caregiver and Navian Hawaii supporter