The History and Impact of West Hawai‘i Cancer Symposium

Elevating the Level of Cancer Care Since 1998

When surgeon Daryl Kurozawa, MD, returned “home” to Kona in 1994 and became aware that the area had no radiation therapy, tumor registry or full-time oncologist, he collaborated with Robin Seto, MD, an internist and specialist in geriatrics with Kaiser Permanente. Concluding that the best way to improve care would be through education, they set out to plan a one-day educational meeting on the treatment of breast cancer.

Dr. Kurozawa, who was on the board of the American Cancer Society—West Hawai‘i Unit, solicited the support of the organization and its executive director at the time, Tina Clothier. By 1996, the meeting and agenda were beginning to gel, but a venue was yet to be found.

In the fall of 1997, Dr. Kurozawa was playing golf during events surrounding the first Terry Fox Run at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai. The Terry Fox Foundation raises funds for cancer research. At the tee box of the 17th hole, he had a chance meeting with Marguerite Wilcox, the Terry Fox Run chair. He told her of his group’s plans to start a cancer education meeting; she told him that her group was thinking of adding an educational component to the Terry Fox event. That encounter led to a meeting with Kathleen Horrigan, then general manager of the resort, and that led to the first educational meeting, on Oct. 10, 1998. The Four Seasons Resort Hualalai has served as the venue since.

Laura Evans, a mountain climber and the founder of the Expedition Inspiration Fund for Breast Cancer Research, was keynote speaker at the first meeting, called “Breast Cancer Today: Change, Challenge, Controversy, and Hope.” She was joined by guest speaker Sandra Sagisi, a KGMB News reporter. Both were breast cancer survivors.

In 1999, the name West Hawai‘i Cancer Symposium was adopted, and topics were expanded to include other forms of cancer, genetics, screening, and imaging.

The educational meeting became part of a seamless weekend of activities that include the Taste of Hawai‘i Island Dinner, a golf tournament, a tennis tournament and a run, which is now called the Run for Hope.

Planning and Guiding the Symposium

For the first two years, the planning committee consisted of Drs. Kurozawa and Seto. In the third year, Dr. Kurozawa was joined by Jan Wong, MD, professor of surgical oncology at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, and Stanley Leong, MD, a cancer surgeon at the California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute in San Francisco.

In 2001, the fourth year, Celestia Higano, a medical oncologist at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, joined, and from 2002 to 2012, the planning committee consisted of Drs. Kurozawa, Wong, and Higano.

In 2013, the 16th year, Dr. Sharon Lum, a surgical oncologist at Loma Linda University Cancer Center, joined. Dr. Jonathan Cho, an oncologist in Honolulu with affiliations at Adventist Health Castle and Queen’s Medical Center, became a member in 2014.

Growth and Evolution of the Organization

In the first four years, educational sessions for the general public were offered along with the professional meetings that provided continuing medical education credits for doctors and nurses. Initially, most attendees and faculty were based in Hawai‘i, but over time, the symposium attracted professionals from the West and Mountain regions of the mainland. Today, those attending represent all regions of the U.S. and a wide range of professional interests, including oncology, surgery, pathology, primary care, oncology nursing and more. Meeting planners try to focus on eight to 10 areas of interest each year.

In 1998, 154 people – professionals and nonprofessionals – attended the first meeting. Now attendance ranges from about 150 to 170; more than 3,000 people have attended over the years. Most speakers are affiliated with major academic centers and are known nationally and internationally for their expertise.

Affiliations and Sponsorships

West Hawai‘i Cancer Symposium is completely self-funded through registrations and exhibit fees. Initially, the American Cancer Society provided in-kind support and allowed the meeting to partner to provide educational activities for the general public. The ACS supported the meeting financially in the mid years, and although it no longer does, it remains a valuable presenting organization. The John A. Burns School of Medicine has provided ongoing support for the CME application and the planning committee faculty. The University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center (formerly the Cancer Research Center of Hawai‘i) started participating with the symposium in 2003.

The Near-Cancellation of the Symposium After the September 2001 Terrorist Attacks

The tragic events in New York, Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 11, 2001, caused symposium planners to consider canceling the symposium scheduled for the following weekend. With airports closed and the nation in a state of shock and disarray, it was clear the meeting would be affected significantly.

Dr. Kurozawa, his colleagues and the management of the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai determined, however, that it was important for the resort and the symposium to go on in spite of the terrorist attacks.

“We did not know how the attendees would travel to Kona or when the airports would reopen, and we had 12 faculty members coming from the mainland,” Dr. Kurozawa says, adding that only one was able to make the trip, forcing the planning committee to revise on the fly.

“Dr. Anton Bilchik from the John Wayne Cancer Institute in Santa Monica, California, was committed to attending, so he and his family sat at the airport in Los Angeles until flights resumed. We implemented ‘Program Plan D,’ featuring our eight Hawai‘i-based faculty with Dr. Bilchik, and the symposium proceeded as planned, with 107 attendees,” Dr. Kurozawa says. “The Terry Fox Run events were dedicated to the 9/11 victims that year. It was a solemn time but also a healing time for those who were able to attend.”

How the Symposium Contributes to Changes in Cancer Care

“We’ve been able to develop a symposium that attracts a nationally and world-renowned faculty to Hawai‘i, providing a high-quality educational experience in one of the most beautiful venues in the world,” Dr. Kurozawa says. “In addition, we have a great partnership with the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai and their Run for Hope events, which raise funds for cancer research and care through the American Cancer Society and the University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center.”

Kurozawa says the symposium and the weekend’s events have developed a loyal following, with some participants involved for 10 to 20 years.

“It’s very rewarding for me to know that we are supporting those from Hawai‘i who are afflicted by cancer, and in a small way, we are elevating the level of cancer care for those around us.”