Maui teen gets ‘wish’ of videography equipment

Make-A-Wish, local donors, volunteers made it happen in spite of COVID-19

While taking it day by day, a Wailuku teen battling cancer has found joy in creating video content that captures the island's beauty.

With the help of community donors and local Maui volunteers, Make-A-Wish Hawaii recently granted the wish of 15-year-old Puanani with videography equipment. She has since created several videos using the cameras, including a short film as a fundraiser in her honor for her high school, as well as others of the ocean and surfers, her friends and Maui's scenery for her personal Instagram.

"I posted my second one on Christmas, so now I have to go get new footage," Pua said Tuesday of her video and post to Instgram.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation does not share wish families' last names for privacy.

Due to COVID-19, Make-A-Wish Hawaii staff on Oahu were unable to attend the wish granting Oct. 24, but Maui residents Jennifer McNeff and Nikki Yamamoto stepped in. The pair of volunteers have been making virtual visits with Pua over the past few months to learn about her interests and wishes.

"Although there have been challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, Pua's wish is a prime example of how our community is continuing to find safe, innovative ways to grant life-changing wishes for Hawaii children with critical illnesses," said Kari Bogner, Make-A-Wish Hawaii director of mission delivery.

"We couldn't be prouder of Jen and Nikki for all the dedication and heart they showed in executing this wish for Pua," Bogner said in a news release last week.

With the help of local donors Steven and Karen Sato, Make-A-Wish Hawaii was able to purchase videography equipment and had it shipped to Maui, where McNeff and Yamamoto wrapped the gift.

The day after radiation treatment in October, Pua and her family met at The Westin Nanea Ocean Villas in Kaanapali for a socially distant wish reveal.

"I was definitely surprised because I just asked for a camera and they gave me a lot more," said Pua, whose interest in video content sparked in middle school while taking a digital media class at St. Anthony before attending Seabury Hall.

A Make-A-Wish photographer gave her some instruction on how to use the equipment too.

"It was cool," she said via phone. "He taught me how to fly my drone."

Pua's mother, Ellen, who was also on the call Tuesday, said that volunteers had decorated the hotel room to match a few of the interior design ideas that Pua had pinned from her Pinterest board.

Pua said: "I remember it clearly," when opening the hotel room door and immediately recognizing the colors and designs from her pins.

Ellen added: "I didn't know what to expect, we just really sat back and let the experience unfold. It was pretty impressive. They picked us up so we didn't have to worry about driving and then they drove us back home."

Pua was diagnosed in June with a rare and aggressive form of cancer called rhabdomyosarcoma, or RMS, which is found in bones and soft tissue. She has since been undergoing treatments.

To view the fundraising video "Pua A Reflection" and learn more about Pua's journey, visit drive.google.com/file/d/16Xw9yZYGn6C0ao7Df6oyU1hy7IftfDKB/view.

* Dakota Grossman can be reached at dgrossman@mauinews.com.