Love For The Yoshizu Ohana

**My sister and I with our daughters taken around Thanksgiving, 2014: (Top L-R) Sharon, Shaley, Me (Cat).  (Bottom L-R) Kiana (my daughter), Shyana, Sadie.

This is their story...

**The Yoshizu Ohana, March, 2015: Brad & Sharon with their girls (L-R) Sadie, Shaley, and Shyana.

My sister, Sharon Yoshizu, was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, a crippling disease that is often over-shadowed by other more “well-known” diseases, in 2004 when she was just 21 years old.  Two years later in 2006, her first child and daughter, Shaley Yoshizu (11), was diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis at two years old.  Sharon has two other daughters, Sadie (6) and Shyana (4), and a loving and supportive husband, Bradley Yoshizu.

**Shaley at 4 years old learning how to walk again using a walker.

Sharon and her family have faced many challenges through the years but continue to stay strong and positive.  Sharon and Shaley's arthritis have affected majority of their joints and led to Sharon's neck to become unstable.  Sharon was required to undergo surgery to fuse her neck at C1-C2, in February 2012.

During the surgery, serious complications arose and her right vertebral artery was nicked.  Two months later, on Brad's birthday, Sharon suffered a stroke with lingering debilitating consequences that have affected her life-style and that of her family.  Since her surgery, Sharon has been focusing on trying to recover to regain her quality of life back and to also care for her three daughters and husband.

**Brad and Sharon at the 2012 Arthritis Walk.

But, just when Sharon thought that she was getting her life back together, she was informed by her doctors that the C1-C2 neck fusion didn't completely fuse.  Sharon has a lot of movement in her neck again and it is becoming more unstable thereby necessitating another surgery.

Being that this is a complicated surgery and Sharon is considered to be a very high-risk patient, many local doctors in Hawaii are not comfortable doing the “revision”.  It is a rare and uncommon procedure and Sharon must go to the mainland to redo her surgery where doctors with the expertise and hospitals equipped with the tools to perform the surgery are readily available.  My sister and her family will need to make a temporary move to the mainland for her surgery and recovery.

The Yoshizu family have been strong advocates with the Arthritis Foundation of Hawaii over the years.  They have helped raise more than $60,000.00 to help those affected by arthritis, but have never personally benefited financially from their efforts in the past.  They continue to give from their hearts and put others first despite their personal adversity and medical conditions.

**Team Makalapua's (the name of the Yoshizu ohana's fundraiser team for the Arthritis Walk) fundraiser event...  Just one day after leaving the rehab hospital following Sharon's stroke.  She was determined to see the event through. 

My sister and her family have helped others affected by arthritis and now I would like to help them.  Due to my sister's severe arthritis and the unfortunate, extenuating circumstances of her condition, she is unable to work.  Her husband is the care taker and sole provider for the family.  They will be without regular income when they make the temporary move for the surgery as Brad will have to take a leave from work to care for Sharon and their three daughters.

**Shaley receiving her monthly actemra infusion.  Sadie and Shy keeping their big sister company. 

With Sharon and Shaley's ongoing doctors’ visits, the bills are compiling.  I would like to humbly ask all our family and friends for your love and support by joining me to help raise funds to help the Yoshizu family so Sharon may receive the proper medical care and treatment and lessen the financial burden and stress as they make their temporary move to the mainland.  Even if you are unable to make a donation, I would like to ask you to keep my sister and her family in your prayers as they continue forward in their journey of healing and recovery.

**The Yoshizu Ohana: (L-R) Shaley, Brad, Shyana, Sadie, and Sharon.  Taken in Sedona, AZ in 2014 when they came to visit for Thanksgiving.