Inspire 2023

HPH: Leaving a Lasting Legacy

"My hope is to give somebody else the same opportunity to do something every day that makes a difference."
Dorothy Shepherd, Pali Momi’s first vice president of nursing and patient affairs

Former co-workers surprised Dorothy Shepherd (center) with a reunion at Pali Momi Medical Center. Art Gladstone (left), HPH executive vice president and chief strategy officer, worked with Dorothy when he was a nurse at Pali Momi. Jocelyn Granier (right), Pali Momi house supervisor, is an original employee of the medical center.

For Dorothy Shepherd, helping to open Pali Momi Medical Center was a dream opportunity. 

“How many people get to be a part of putting something together from the ground up?” Dorothy said while looking through photos of Pali Momi's construction in the pages of her personal photo album.

Dorothy closely watched the building go up in 1989 while working to hire the medical center’s original staff. She was Pali Momi’s first vice president of nursing and patient affairs. As she interviewed prospective employees, Dorothy remembers looking for workers who were willing to make a long-term commitment to the community.

“People are what make an institution, so I asked everyone why they were interested in coming and what they would bring to Pali Momi,” Dorothy said. “I questioned each person’s vision for our new facility. Then I determined if their vision would make Pali Momi what it needed to be. If they showed that passion, we hired them.”

That expectation for quality, which Dorothy and many others instilled from day one, remains the standard of care at Pali Momi today.  Dorothy is still contributing to Pali Momi’s success, now as a donor. The retired nurse leader has designated the medical center as a beneficiary in her will. It’s a planned gift that makes her as proud as the impact Pali Momi has had on the health of the community and its dedicated workers. 

“Pali Momi gave me so much,” Dorothy said. “There are so many personal and professional growth opportunities that allowed me to become who I am. My hope is to give somebody else the same opportunity to do something every day that makes a difference. You must give back to fund the resources needed for hospitals like Pali Momi. Facilities can't do it by themselves.”

If you are interested in making a lasting impact by joining our legacy society at any of Hawaii Pacific Health’s medical centers, call 808-535-7100 or visit Give2HPH.org/Make-A-Gift/Overview.