Chaminade University of Honolulu

Biochemistry

Pain and Perseverance

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Surah Healey ’23 succeeds and graduates despite health adversities 

Starting college is stressful enough with all its attendant challenges. Living away from home for the first time. Increased study load. New friends. And new surroundings. Add to that list a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, compounded by—not one—but eight surgeries. It was all too much for Surah Healey, whose freshman-year experience had no resemblance to the collegiate life portrayed in those glossy recruiting materials. 

As a baby, Healey was diagnosed with a congenital Ureteropelvic Junction (UPJ) obstruction, a condition where blockage occurs at the junction where the ureter attaches to the kidney. She underwent several surgeries as an infant before her condition finally stabilized in high school.

In the spring of her high school senior year, the California native was involved in a four-car collision that would imperil her health. She suffered a sprained back and severe whiplash, limiting her movement and possibly aggravating her UPJ. 

“I felt this chronic numbing pain on my right side so I went to see my doctor,” says Healey, a Ho‘oulu Scholar. “He told me the accident could be the reason for my pain, and prescribed some medication.”

Healey says because of her high threshold for pain, she ignored the consistent aching when she first arrived at Chaminade … that is until she could no longer. One early morning at 1, the discomfort became so unbearable that she knocked on her roommate’s door and told her she had to immediately go to the emergency room.

Surah Healey persevered through eight surgeries to attend Commencement.

“I was told it was a bad urinary tract infection (UTI),” Healey recalls. “I was given some medication and sent home.”

The throbbing abated but quickly returned. So in January 2020, Healey would require surgery—the first of eight—to insert a stent in her ureter, between her kidney and bladder. In the meantime, the Bio-Chemistry major kept up with her studies as best as she could. With summer break approaching and COVID restrictions in play, she decided to return to California until the fall.

While home, Healey suffered another two medical setbacks. The stent that was first inserted needed to be replaced—twice. “Then in October, I had my fourth surgery because my ureter had slipped,” says Healey, with tears welling up in her eyes. “And in December, I was informed by my surgeon that my right kidney needed to be removed.”

Hospitalized for a week, Healey was unable to walk. She couldn’t laugh. She couldn’t cry. She couldn’t eat. She wasn’t allowed visitors because of the pandemic. And she could barely talk. 

“When I lost my kidney, I didn’t think it would be so painful because of my tolerance for pain,” Healey says. “But I was so wrong. Recovery was excruciatingly painful. It was something that I’ve never, ever experienced in my lifetime.”

By now, she was completely behind in her coursework, and relegated to online learning because of the pandemic. Mentally and physically struggling, Healey sought the advice of professors Jolene Cogbill, Ph.D., and Chrystie Naeole, Ph.D., on how to stay on track with her academics.

“They were really helpful,” Healey says. “They arranged for tutors to help me catch up, but I was still forced to take an incomplete in some of my courses, which I would have to make up if I wanted to graduate.”

After five surgeries and a lost kidney, Healey thought she could now focus on her studies, and that the worst of her medical problems was behind her. 

They weren’t. 

Another three surgeries would be required: one in the spring of 2021 to repair an umbilical hernia, probably brought on when her kidney was removed from her navel; a second in May 2022 to treat another invasive hernia; and the third this past January to remove kidney stones.

“By October 2021, I was totally depressed,” Healey says. “After the first hernia surgery, I was limited to what I could do for three to six months. And then two to three months later, I was told I had another hernia, but I had the option of not having surgery.”

Her mom Donna, though, had other thoughts. Although she supported her daughter’s decision to forgo the second hernia procedure, she was afraid that Surah’s hernia would one day rupture and lead to sepsis, which is a life-threatening medical emergency.

“I just started as the president of the Scrubs Club and became the vice president of the Fitness and Adventure Club in May 2022,” says Healey, of the same time she learned about her second hernia. “I didn’t want to have another hernia surgery, but I understood the risks, and decided to have the surgery.”

Like the Greek god Sisyphus, who was condemned to repeatedly roll a boulder up a hill only to have it roll down again once he reached the summit, Healey’s persistent struggle against her medical ailments seemed futile. Told by some to just quit, Healey became more resolute, stronger and braver.

“Each time someone would tell me that I wasn’t going to be able to do this (graduate),” says Healey with a voice of determination, “it would just make me fight even more, telling myself ‘Girl, you got this.’” 

In May, Healey will walk with her fellow Class of ’23 graduates, proving that perseverance and personal belief do indeed matter. Her advice to them: “Live everyday like it’s your last. Be Brave. Be Humble. And Be Kind.”

Big Dreams to Achieve Big Things

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Meshelle Hirashima receiving her Chaminade diploma from Bro. Bernie Pleoger, SM

Meshelle Hirashima’s advice to young people is simple: you need big dreams to achieve big things.

She would know.

Hirashima, who graduated from Chaminade in 2017 with a degree in Historical and Political Studies and a Biochemistry minor, receives her Doctor of Medicine degree in May from Boston University School of Medicine. She is seeking to specialize in Obstetrics and Gynecology, and credits strong female role models—including the grandmother who raised her—for helping her believe in herself so she could reach her goals.

“I’ve had remarkable people in my life to be an example and help guide me to where I am today,” Hirashima said. “No one would think I would come this far knowing my history. I just feel so blessed.”

Hirashima was adopted as a toddler by her grandmother because her mother was struggling with substance abuse issues. Her mother has since turned her life around, Hirashima said, and the two share a special relationship. It’s because of her grandmother and her mother that she wants to be an OBGYN.

Hirashima is also the first person on her mother’s side to graduate from college.

And she’s the first person in her family to go to medical school.

In addition to her role models, she credits Chaminade with helping her get there. Hirashima was able to secure an early admission spot at Boston University’s School of Medicine thanks to Chaminade’s articulation agreement program with the institution—and the preparation she got along the way.

She also said immersive experiences at Chaminade helped her build her confidence.

Among them, in 2014, advisors at Chaminade encouraged Hirashima to apply for a six-week summer program at UCLA aimed at helping students from disadvantaged and diverse backgrounds get a taste for what it feels like to be a medical student and understand the steps to become a doctor. She said the program put a big emphasis on health disparities and helped her see how she could serve others. 

“It gave me a taste for what I could expect, and I was hooked,” she said.

An early dream to help others

Hirashima was born and raised in Hawaii and attended Moanalua High School.

From a young age, she said, she dreamed of becoming a doctor. She wanted to help others like the people who had helped her grandmother when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. And as she got older, she realized that being a doctor didn’t just mean providing medical care but helping people through everyday struggles and “being with them through momentous points in their lives.”

At Moanalua, many of Hirashima’s friends were eyeing larger universities.

But she wanted something different—a place where she could try out different things and pursue disciplines that intrigued her. That’s why she found herself initially majoring in Environmental + Interior Design at Chaminade before switching to Historical Political Studies with a Biochemistry minor.

How did that fit into her path to medical school?

Hirashima said she wanted to broaden her horizons and take the opportunity to dive into a course of study that would help her better understand the world. To her, the study of history and political studies was the opportunity to figure out why people decide what they decide and why they act as they do.

That foundation of knowledge, she said, helped her become a more empathetic, well-rounded person.

‘I knew what I wanted’
Meshelle Hirashima wearing her white coat at Boston University

Along the way, by minoring in Biochemistry, Hirashima was able to secure the science and math prerequisites she would need to apply to medical school. And she got a unique taste for what her life as a medical student would entail with those immersive experiences, like the one at UCLA.

Chaminade’s articulation agreement with Boston University’s School of Medicine was key to her admission. The program, in which Chaminade partners with a host of highly-esteemed universities on the mainland, allows students to set an early course to advanced studies in healthcare careers—establishing a strong academic record and completing prerequisites while at Chaminade.

After completing the requirements of her Chaminade degree, Hirashima also spent a year at Boston University preparing for medical school, taking graduate courses and studying for the entrance exam. “It was like drinking from a fire hose. And unconventionally, I put all my eggs in the Boston basket,” she recalled. “I’d never even been to the East Coast, have no family there, but I knew what I wanted.”

And she got it.

She said she was at the pool with a friend when she learned she’d been admitted.

“I just started screaming and jumping up and down,” she said.

From there, there would be more grueling work and long hours ahead. The COVID pandemic sharply curtailed the number of in-person learning hours she got. But in her third year, she moved on to rotations—a chance for medical students to work hands-on in different medical specialties.

Internal medicine. Psychiatry. Pediatrics. Hirashima loved them all.

But the OBGYN rotation was special. “It was about building connections with women. Just kind of through reflection, I thought, ‘Where am I going to make the biggest impact with my career?’ I had such strong female role models growing up and I knew I wanted to help women like them,” she said.

‘I used to be in those shoes’
Meshelle Hirashima '17 on Match Day—she is paired with University of Hawaii

While one chapter of Hirashima’s journey ends in May, when she earns her medical degree, another begins as she continues on her path to residency.

Her dream of returning to Hawaii to serve the people and communities that helped her remains alive. On Match Day, she was paired with the University of Hawaii’s Obstetrics and Gynecology program.

She is excited to come home, continue her training and cross off another goal from her list. Along the way, she hopes to inspire other young people to think big. “I had lots of humbling experiences growing up, but that didn’t stop me,” she said. “Overcoming obstacles will never be easy. But with help, it’s not impossible.”

Hirashima’s biggest piece of advice to others is simple: take advantage of opportunities presented to you. “It can sometimes be scary to get outside of your comfort zone,” she said. “I’m so lucky to have had people around me, including at Chaminade, who really believed in me and who helped guide me.”

She added that her “humbling experiences” growing up helped her build understanding for others. “When I talk to a patient who is struggling, I know a little bit about what that feels like. I used to be in those shoes,” she said. Her big dream now: serve as a role model just as many did for her.

“I want young people to know there’s so much out there, and they just have to go out and get it.”

Working on the Frontlines

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It’s Monday, and Ann-Janin Bacani arrives at work around 8:15 a.m. She covers herself head to toe in personal protective equipment (PPE), and heads into the lab.

Ann-Janin Bacani '18

The Chaminade alumna checks each coronavirus testing swab that arrives—it’s essential to enter them into their database before proceeding. She ensures they each have proper approval from the state epidemiologist, and then she gets to work.

Each coronavirus test swab is analyzed for the virus through a lengthy process. First, the RNA is extracted from the virus. Then, it is converted to DNA. Finally, using a real-time, reverse transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) machine, the DNA is copied and amplified to identify the presence of 2019-nCoV genes. If the genes are present, the test is considered positive.

Bacani is a microbiologist in the Biological Response Section of the Hawaii State Department of Health’s Laboratory and Preparedness Response Branch.

Initially, she worked with the Food and Drug Administration to test food samples for salmonella and listeria. But when COVID-19 hit in January, Bacani’s lab was the first in the state of Hawaii to be approved to analyze test results.

At first, it was nerve wracking. There was a lot of initial uncertainty and risks. So much about the disease was unknown. But the department was quick to react.

“I was fully trained by highly trained microbiologists in my section and we were provided with the proper PPE to work the virus,” says Bacani. “That put my mind at ease while working in the laboratory.”

Ann-Janin Bacani '18 and her co-workers showing their lunch their received from donors
(L-R) Ayana Garnet, Ann-Janin Bacani ’18 and Drew Kuwazaki receiving their free ‘thank you’ bentos from the Hawaii Government Employee Association

As part of the Biological Response Section, the Waipahu High School graduate is part of a team of epidemiologists, physicians, microbiologists and officials from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and Food and Drug Administration tasked with providing rapid response to bioterrorism, infectious disease outbreaks or any other public health emergency.

Their COVID testing lab serves all of Hawai‘i and many of the outer Pacific Islands as well. Bacani sees it as a chance to serve her community.

“It has always been my vision and goal to be able to give back to my community,” says Bacani. “From my early years at Chaminade University, I have wanted to provide and bring quality care to underserved populations.”

Bacani graduated from Chaminade University in 2018 as a biochemistry major with a minor in psychology.

She attributes a lot of what she does now to her time at Chaminade. It was through a Chaminade classmate that she initially found the position at the Department of Health—Alexis Young, another Chaminade alumna, is also a microbiologist at the department.

A graduate of Waipahu High School, Bacani was introduced to Chaminade University at a college fair field trip. Her dream was to become a pharmacist, so she chose Chaminade for the highly regarded STEM program. 

Her next four years were filled with leadership roles, clubs, research opportunities, premedical summer programs, travel to conferences and more. And while she didn’t always recognize it at the time, everything she learned was preparing her for her role today.

“Turns out, a lot of the things we all thought we wouldn’t need to know were things we later found to be very helpful,” she admits.

Perhaps her biggest lesson was understanding just how important it is to follow precise laboratory techniques and best practices—for a patient relying on a diagnosis, it can be life-changing.

“The human aspect of a clinical sample is more than just the volume in a tube,” says Bacani. “It’s the impact that the sample has that is important, which makes all of what I do as a microbiologist worthwhile.”

And the impact of what she does every day is not lost on her.

“Our job is so meaningful right now, as it is an essential task that allows people to know whether or not they have contracted the coronavirus,” explains Bacani. “It is so important to understand the precise laboratory techniques, tests and best medicinal approaches that allow for a patient’s life-changing diagnosis.”

While she has been honored to serve her community on the frontlines of this pandemic, Bacani’s ultimate goal is still to become a Doctor of Pharmacy. She’s humbled by the power drug interactions can have on a patient’s life, and wants to become a clinical or hospital pharmacist. She plans to start at the Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy at University of Hawaii at Hilo in the fall.

From Scraping By to Attending Med School, Hyo Park Makes it Happen

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As a high school student in Pennsylvania, Hyo Park dreamed of going to college.

But come graduation day, he found himself stuck.

While his friends went off to seek four-year degrees, Park took several part-time jobs to make ends meet — at a deli and a bank, in retail and telemarketing.

When times were really tough, he’d donate plasma twice a week for $50.

“I dreamed of a college education,” Park said. “It was luxury I couldn’t afford.”

That didn’t stop him from keeping hold of that goal. And before long, despite his mother’s reservations, he joined the Navy so that he could eventually seek financial assistance to get a college degree.

Hyo Park

In uniform, Park excelled.

He became a ballistic missile defense computer technician, serving aboard the USS Lake Erie stationed in Pearl Harbor. He was deployed to China, Japan and Korea.

And he was recognized by the commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet for his role in helping to develop the nation’s ballistic missile defense capabilities.

Things were going well, but Park never forgot his bigger dream.

In his spare time, he took online college courses at Chaminade. And it was through those classes that he realized the school that offered him the “right fit” had been in front of him all along.

Hyo Park and friends celebrating Dr. Terem Bulent's birthday
Hyo and friends celebrating Dr. Bulet Terem’s birthday

He chose to enroll in Chaminade full-time, and after taking a particularly inspiring organic chemistry course with Professor Bulent Terem — “It was the first class that challenged me to think critically and stimulated my curiosity,” Park says — declared biochemistry as his major.

Hyo & friends celebrate Professor Terem’s birthday

Park remembers those early days at Chaminade with no small amount of fondness—he was finally where he belonged.

But he also cringes a little when he recalls how socially awkward—his words—he was, having taken up a host of habits in the military that just didn’t translate well in the real world. (Turns out, people don’t stand at attention in front of their professors’ desks.)

Eventually, though, Park loosened up, got used to civilian life again, made friends. He gained some valuable mentors, too. Professors like Terem who, Park said, live to make learning engaging, and whose passions in their fields are absolutely infectious.

In hopes of giving back to Terem, Park even volunteered to serve as his lab assistant.

“Although I initially started with the intention of helping Dr. Terem,” he said, “I realized that I was able to develop my leadership and communication skills because of these experiences.”

And Park just kept building on those skills—and looking for more opportunities to grow.

Hyo Park and classmates during UCLA summer program
Hyo and classmates at UCLA summer program

Hyo with fellow students at UCLA summer program

He spent a summer helping underserved populations through a UCLA School of Medicine program. He got a grant from Chaminade to attend a conference, where he met with members of the admissions committees from medical schools around the country. And he spent a summer studying zebrafish embryo at the University of Maryland, and then received a Chaminade travel grant to present his award-winning research at a conference.

In short, Park has accomplished some incredible things at Chaminade — thanks in large part, he says, to the connections and mentorships and support he’s gotten at the university.

But perhaps the most noteworthy part of Park’s journey at Chaminade isn’t his many successes, it’s his growing commitment to helping those around him.

“While at Chaminade,” he said, “I learned the importance of dedicating myself to something greater than my personal ambitions — through service.”

And that’s why, after Park graduates in May, he’ll be headed off to the George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences, where he scored a seat after applying through Chaminade’s articulation agreement.

At George Washington, he said, Park wants to learn — and serve. He plans to volunteer at the university’s “healing clinic,” serving low-income populations who don’t have affordable access to health care.

$1 Million Awarded to Chaminade in Recognition of National Excellence in Science Programs

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Chaminade joins select group of 24 universities nationwide recognized for inclusivity and quality in STEM programs

NSM Student in LabChaminade University of Honolulu today announced a grant of $1 million from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) as an awardee in the 2017-22 ‘Inclusive Excellence’ program. Chaminade was selected as one of 24 awardees from a pool of over 500 universities who applied for the prestigious recognition as a Howard Hughes Undergraduate Institution. The program will fund culture-based STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) education programs, Hawai‘i-centered research, and activities that link science to family and community for Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students.

Dr. Helen Turner
Dr. Helen Turner

“Chaminade has been building excellence in STEM for a decade with support from agencies such as National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF) and Kamehameha Schools, and this award recognizes the tremendous progress we have made in preparing the next generation of Hawai‘i and Pacific scientists” says Dr. Helen Turner, Chaminade’s Dean of Natural Sciences and Principal Investigator of the HHMI Program. “This award takes us to the next level of national recognition for the curriculum and cutting-edge teaching methods our faculty have developed. The HHMI program confronts the challenge of connecting STEM education with culture, family and community – which are critical for our local students to be successful and to build a strong Hawai‘i for the future.”

“Finding a way to include all students, from all backgrounds, in STEM is critical for building future generations of American scientists”, says David Asai, HHMI Senior Director for Science Education. “HHMI recognizes that science excellence depends on having a community of scientists that is rich in diversity of people and perspectives. This national experiment expects that the selected universities will produce useful models to address inclusivity in STEM.”

ABOUT THE HOWARD HUGHES MEDICAL INSTITUTE
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) is the largest private, nonprofit supporter of science education in the United States. The Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) has created an Inclusive Excellence Commission whose role will be to evaluate the outcomes of this national experiment, and to disseminate to the broader community what is being learned.

Chaminade Now Accepting Applications for Ho’oulu STEM Scholarships

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Chaminade University is currently accepting applications for its full-tuition Ho`oulu STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Scholarships. The scholarships are open to first-year and transfer students and give preference to applicants of Native Hawaiian ancestry. Apply now for early consideration. For more details on the Ho`oulu STEM Scholarship, visit the Ho`oulu STEM Scholarship webpage or call (808) 739-8551.

In partnership with Kamehameha Schools, Chaminade University created an opportunity for students pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree to receive full tuition assistance (100%) and the opportunity to apply for living expense assistance for four years. It also provides wraparound academic support services, access to post-graduate career paths via Chaminade’s suite of articulation agreements, paid internships for professional development, and financial support for career development activities.

Hooulu STEM Scholarship, First Cohort

In the fall of 2016, Chaminade University welcomed its first Ho`oulu cohort of first-year and transfer students in the following Bachelor of Science degree areas: Biology, Biochemistry, Forensic Sciences, Environmental Studies, Nursing, and Pre-Med/Pre-Health.

“The impact of Ho`oulu is far-reaching,” said Chaminade President Bro. Bernard J. Ploeger, SM, Ph.D. “Careers in STEM-related fields are projected to be some of the fastest growing segments of tomorrow’s workforce.”

Chaminade’s Dean of Natural Sciences and Mathematics Helen Turner, Ph.D. agreed. “Solutions to health, environmental and justice challenges are to be found in science and technology, and we envision Ho‘oulu students leading the community in the future to strengthen the lāhui.”