Inspire 2023 ANNUAL REPORT
Kapiolani: A Gift for Families
From left: Diane Ono; her daughter, Mari Galiher Martin; Owen Martin; and Daren Martin.
On Mari Galliher Martin’s 30th birthday, she received news parents never want to hear.
“Our son would most likely not be alive for much longer,” she said. “They were bringing in palliative care, and we needed to brace ourselves for the absolute worst.”
Little Owen Martin was just a few days old.
It was not a journey anyone had anticipated. Mari and Daren Martin’s first pregnancy had been joyful and largely uneventful. Then, the day before Mari was scheduled to be induced, she noticed a little bleeding. Her doctor told her to go to Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children as a precaution.
Mari’s placenta had ruptured, so she was induced and went into labor. At one point, her baby’s heart rate dropped, and the Kapiolani nurses immediately called for more resources. When Mari began bleeding more than expected, they asked her to push.
“Twenty minutes later, Owen was out and he was completely lifeless. We were stunned,” Mari said.
Owen was resuscitated and taken immediately to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). For the next few weeks, his condition was precarious. At 2 weeks old, he finally was stable enough for a brain scan to assess any lasting damage. Amazingly, none was found.
Still, the next few weeks were challenging. Through it all, the Kapiolani team was there for the entire family. Neonatologists Dr. Alexandra Ramnath and Dr. Melanie Jacobson explained every step. Lactation and other specialists, including psychologists, checked on them regularly to provide support. Kapiolani security greeted Daren every time he returned.
The NICU nurses were amazing, Mari said. One evening, after she had left Kapiolani, she returned and was touched to find NICU nurse Tiani Fabro holding and rocking Owen. “She provided the extra level of care and love that you really don't have to in your job,” Mari said.
Owen went home after 33 days in the NICU. He continued treatment at Kapiolani for kidney damage and heart conditions, but he outgrew them. Today, he is a healthy, happy, talkative and, as many will attest, very active toddler.
Mari and her family keep in touch with many at Kapiolani whose dedication gave Owen a real chance at life. In 2023, Mari’s mother, Diane Ono, donated a NICU laundry room. The space with a washer and dryer is a blessing for families — especially those from neighbor islands — who spend days, weeks or even months at Kapiolani. The room is named after Owen as a gift from his beloved tutu in tribute of his care, and as a sign of hope for other families.
“They refer to Owen as the miracle baby; nobody believed that was going to be his outcome,” Diane said. “Whenever I look at him, I have such a debt of gratitude for everything Kapiolani did for our family.”