Advertiser Christmas Fund
Diabetic needs help with medication costs

By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer

She and her 22-year-old son, who recently returned to work after being laid up for a month by a back injury suffered on the job, live in a two-bedroom apartment that rents for $375 a month. Her son pays half the rent.

She has to budget whatever money she has left after rent for medication and food, because she does not qualify for food stamps. "I always have to look for cheaper ways to go, especially for medication," said H.S., who was injured 30 years ago when she was struck by a bottle tossed down a laundry chute. She developed rheumatoid arthritis from the injury and cannot extend her right arm.

H.S. must inject herself twice a day with insulin to keep her diabetes under control.

"I pay about $60 a month for insulin and a box of 100 syringes costs $20," she said. "The monitoring strips are very expensive. It costs $50 for 25 strips. With my other medication, it comes to $300 per month."

Medicare does not cover any of that, she said.

	How to make a donation
•	Checks made payable to The Advertiser Christmas Fund should be mailed to
	Helping Hands Hawai'i
	P.O. Box 19155
	Honolulu, HI 96817
•	Donations may also be dropped off at any First Hawaiian Bank branch.
•	Anyone wishing to donate goods instead of money can do so at the Community Clearinghouse at 2100 N. Nimitz Highway near Pu'uhale Street. For details, call 536-7234.

H.S. is requesting help to obtain insulin and syringes.

"If I can get some assistance with the medication, it would be a great help to me because it'll give me a little money on the side," she said. "I've always kept to myself and never asked for help unless I needed it because I always think there's somebody else that needs something more than me.

"But the way it is now, I'm lucky if I have $5 in my purse by the end of the month."

H.S. has been doing volunteer work around her public housing complex since 1973. "I just answer phones to do whatever they tell me to do," she said. "I feel I have to give something back."

H.S. recently took in her older son, 23, his wife and two young children because he had lost his job and they were homeless. She gave up her bedroom to the family and now sleeps on a sofa that she said is "ready for the sugar mill." A king-size box spring bed mattress, which would go in one of the bedrooms so she can reclaim her bed, would be welcomed.

In loving memory of Lorraine Tanaka $25
In loving memory of Claire Tanaka 25
In loving memory of John S. Higa 25
In memory of Sets Komatsu 10
In memory of Edward Stoga 10
In memory of David Garliepp and Billy Gibson Garliepp 25
In memory of Nigel, Suzu and Mele 25
In memory of C.H. Young 25
In memory of Merrick Espindola 25
In memory of George Vickery 50
In memory of Anna Mahoe 50
In memory of Francie and Lani Thomas 100
In memory of Fred and Mary Ann Matsuno 100
In memory of Paul N. Morihara 100
In memory of our moms, Kay Victoria and Joyce Bennett 100
In memory of Wendy Allen 100
In memory of Fred K. Cordes 100
In memory of Advertiser photographer Carl Viti 100
In memory of Ron Beougher 150
In memory of Evelyn and Kenneth Chun 200
In memory of Henry A. Walker Jr. 300
In honor of Watti and Palani Olson 50
In honor of staff and volunteers of 'Iolani Palace 500
All my naughty pets, past and present 10
Rodger Y.O. Chock 10
Sandra Grach 20
Angela and Noelle 25
Albert S.C. Kong 25
Hanako Nakagawa 25
Michael Speer 25
Marissa and Ryan 25
Mark and Mari 25
Keiki Pang 25
Lucy Pang 25
St. Joseph School Waipahu Kris Kringle 25
Baker H. Shiroma 25
Rosie 25
Terry T. Yoneda 25
Kaneo Kumasaka 25
Lorraine G. Belew 25
Billie Jean Ferreira 25
Stan and Margaret
Chapman 25
George Tanaka 25
Nobuko Higa 25
Roddy Higa 25
Joyce T. Higa 25
Brian Tanouye 25
Grace Tanouye 25
Mathew Tanouye 25
Barry Tanouye 25
Rachel Tanouye 25
Jefferson, Justin, Jade Young 30
Bruce F. Hosaka 50
Susan Dozsa 50
Melvin M. Ige 50
E.H. Fukeda 50
Allen L. Perry 50
Irma J. Medeiros 50
Frances S. Tagami 50
Pan W. Lu 50
Thomas A. Huff 50
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Casey 50
Team 7B — Mighty Mustangs, Moanalua Middle School Teachers and Students 50
Moanalua Middle School Lunch Bunch — Retired 50
Alice L. Bertram 50
Margaret Tamaye 50
Aloha Committee — Manoa School 75
Michael R. Walsh 100
John and Chizumi Gilbert 100
Mabel M. Oyama 100
Jack, Leslie and "Hapa" 100
Chuck and Maxine Chism 100
Albert A. Hoover 100
Susan, Stuart, Elliott, Erica, Hugh and family 100
Claire Link 100
Nancy M. Bannick 100
Ruth U. Ninomiya 100
Crispin L. Mulligan 100
Milton and Flo Kakaio 100
Sandra N.L. Ing 100
Kimberley K. Waddell 100
Gloria C. Perry 100
Ann K. Kon 100
Hawaii Aloha Delta Kappa — Eta Chapter 100
Margaret Boll 150
Chase, Dylan and Sarai Silva 150
Elise C. Kump 200
George Matsumoto 200
Bow Yee Tong Association 200
Carol B. Whitesell 200
Teana Vann 250
Saundra E. Keyes 500
Billie J. McGill 1,500
Muriel M. Flanders 5,000
Anonymous 2
Anonymous 10
Anonymous 25
Anonymous 25
Anonymous 25
Anonymous 25
Anonymous 25
Anonymous 30
Anonymous 35
Anonymous 35
Anonymous 50
Anonymous 50
Anonymous 50
Anonymous 50
Anonymous 100
Anonymous 100
Anonymous 100
Anonymous 100
Anonymous 200
Anonymous 1,000

Daily Total $15,752.00
Previous Total $60,702.31

Cumulative Total $76,454.31

Previous stories