My path to medicine began with experiences that would profoundly influence both my education and my approach to patient care.

I was born and raised on Oʻahu. When I was twelve, a procedure to investigate a persistent cough led to a life-threatening emergency. An emergency tracheotomy saved my life, but a prolonged stay in intensive care and serious complications followed. My family was subsequently advised that I would require surgery that would leave me unable to speak. At UCLA, however, physicians reached a different conclusion. The proposed surgery was avoided, and my tracheotomy was closed.

At eighteen, shortly before my high school graduation, my father collapsed from an abdominal aortic aneurysm. I performed CPR while we waited for the ambulance, but he did not survive. At the time, I felt that if I had known more, I might have been able to save him. That loss became a defining influence in my decision to pursue medicine.

Two years later, while attending UC Irvine and teaching dance, I sustained serious injuries in a car accident. My treatment included physical therapy, chiropractic care, and trigger point injections from an orthopedic specialist. After a year of treatment, I was told I was permanently partially disabled. As a dancer, I was reluctant to accept a future defined by those limitations. I returned to Hawaiʻi in search of another path to recovery. There, acupuncture restored my mobility and relieved my pain.

That experience redirected my studies and ultimately my career. I pursued an education in Chinese medicine, followed by two additional years of training and certifications to earn Expanded Practice Certification in New Mexico. As a functional medicine provider, I integrate Chinese and Western medicine to provide comprehensive care tailored to each patient’s needs.

Western medicine had saved my life, and Chinese medicine had helped me regain my mobility. Those experiences led me to explore how the two could complement one another and provide more comprehensive care.

Hapa Wellness reflects both my heritage and my philosophy of care. I am Hapa, and the name honors the blend of traditions and perspectives that has shaped my life and work. My goal is to enhance wellness through a personalized approach to bio-optimization, supporting optimal function, resilience, and lasting vitality.

After more than twenty-five years in practice, that commitment continues to guide my care and the growth of Hapa Wellness.