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Cancer survivor, 11, is Kapi‘olani’s 2025 Children’s Miracle Champ

COURTESY KAPIOLANI MEDICAL CENTER FOR WOMEN & CHILDREN
                                Aurelia Awa, 11, of Ewa Beach has been named the 2025 Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Champion. On the right, Aurelia is pictured with her family.

COURTESY KAPIOLANI MEDICAL CENTER FOR WOMEN & CHILDREN

Aurelia Awa, 11, of Ewa Beach has been named the 2025 Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Champion. On the right, Aurelia is pictured with her family.

Aurelia Awa, 11, of Ewa Beach has been named the 2025 Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Champion for Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women & Children.

Aurelia has faced her share of hurdles — and overcome them — in her 11 years of life. She was born with leukemia that took her eyesight, then faced heart failure and other challenges but has a message of hope to share with others.

Today, surrounded by family, friends and supporters at the Sheraton Waikiki, she made her first official speech as Kapiolani’s CMN Champion — one she had been practicing for months.

“I am excited to help kids with their struggles and disabilities,” she said. “I want them to know that they are strong and brave.”

Aurelia, a Harry Potter fan, also said, “In the words of professor Albus Dumbledore, ‘Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if only one remembers to turn on the light.’ Supporters, you are the light because of everything you do.”

When she was just two weeks old, Aurelia’s parents noticed bruising under her eyes which got darker through the day, according to Kapi‘olani in a news release. She was eventually diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia.

At just about a month old, she would begin five months of chemotherapy at Kapi‘olani.

“The first round of chemotherapy was really challenging,” said Aurelia’s mom, Rachel in the news release. “The fear and anger of the unknown hit me the hardest.”

As she started to recover, Aurelia’s parents noticed she would not look into their eyes. They would soon discover that damage to Aurelia’s optic nerve would cause her to lose her sight. Still, she grew into a fun-loving and fearless little girl, and became a big sister in the years to follow.

Then at the age of 4, Aurelia suddenly began to feel really tired. Her parents feared her cancer had returned, but would learn that her heart was failing.

Dr. James Sim, Kapi‘olani pediatric cardiologist said one of the side effects of chemotherapy is that it can affect the heart, and an echocardiogram showed signs that Aurelia was in significant heart failure.

Kapi‘olani teams were able to stabilize Aurelia at the time, as well as five years later, when it happened again.

Today, Aurelia remains stable, although she will need more cardiac care in the future.

The sixth grader loves roller coasters, plays the drums and has just finished reading the entire Harry Potter series.

During the announcement today, Aurelia and her family were surprised with a trip to California for a CMN event.

In the months to come, Aurelia will share her courageous story to inspire support for the Children’s Miracle Network program, which supports key programs and services for keiki, including the Child Life program, critical care transport team and lifesaving equipment.

Kapi‘olani said fundraising partners last year raised more than $3.5 million, and that 100% of gifts made in Hawaii will remain in the state to help local keiki.

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