HAWAIIAN STYLE
Ex-classmates find ways to pump life into Penny's heart
She had two strikes against her.
Only devastating rounds of chemo-therapy seemed likely to rid Penny Felimer Kalani of the blood disease that was slowly killing her.
And Kalani's heart was so ravaged by the disease that only a heart transplant would let her live long enough to even begin that treatment.
However, "having heart" was as central to her small, tight-knit 1984 graduating class as it was to their school's name: Sacred Hearts Academy. And it was time for everyone to get together for a 20th reunion.
No one among the reunion's planners, it seemed, could discuss details of this year's gathering without being fully aware that their vivacious senior class president was in Massachusetts General Hospital fighting for her life, waiting for a heart.
All planning stopped among the six members of the core planning committee, who had shared school days from as early as kindergarten: "All we could think of was Penny," said Olivia Chang Yanagi.
Their Sacred Hearts class anniversary mission became a campaign of love, "Pennies for a Heart," a spontaneous offering of emotional and financial support.
Penny, 38, was a combination of beauty, popularity and shameless optimism — with a photographic memory of every girl in the 115-member Catholic girls school class.
It was a close-knit class. Penny had been their class's "common denominator," said Michiko Wada. "She was our rallying point."
Last September at a football game, Penny delivered the devastating news to her friends, said Jan-Marie Mikami: She was dying. She needed a new heart.
"I couldn't believe it," said Mikami. "She was always a jokester. ...
"It was then that she told me that she might be the first deceased member of our class. "I was devastated."
Her friends remember Penny told them: "But, I'm a Sacred Hearts girl. We're fighters, not quitters."
Soon the Sacred Hearts family pitched in with moral support in the form of letters and calls, and care packages from home. The school encouraged the 1,100-member student body, teachers and classmates' families to pray.
The senior class sent a huge cardboard card, and Sister Xavier baked her famous chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies. They finagled a FedEx discount. As a donation, someone created a Web site for Penny: www.sha84.com.
Donations began to chip away at a medical bill that will exceed $1 million, as well as Boston lodging expenses by Penny's family.
A Maui bar owner donated $1,000. Other members of Penny's Maui 'ohana had a Krispy Kreme doughnut sale. Classmate and entertainer Tia Carrere donated her talent for TV spots.
The group established a First Hawaiian Bank "Classmates of Penny Felimer Kalani" account.
And, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 14, the group will stage its "Pennies for a Heart" garage and bake sale at the Wai'alae Avenue school campus.
Penny was humbled by all the attention: "She's never talked about the financial burden," said Louetta Smith Davis. "She even offered to pay us back (for the Christmas care package of gifts)."
"And typical!" said Yanagi. "She asked that we send candy for the (hospital) staff."
"Doctors were so impressed (with her optimism) and how ready she was to fight," said Wada.
Besides providing moral and financial support through the upcoming garage sale, the little group has promised Penny two more gifts: that they will put this year's reunion back on track, as she requested, and that once she's able to attend — and she will make it, Penny promised — they should plan another reunion. With her.
Still, "It's hard to focus on anything else but Penny at this point," said Jamie Kissel Reich.
Of their efforts, Penny said: "I wish I had arms long enough (to reach from Boston). I'd hug the entire school."
Her friends pray and have hope, said Wada. "Prayer is good. But sometimes God needs help."
Reach Wade Shirkey at 525-8090 or at wshirkey@honoluluadvertiser.com.
