Inspire 2025 ANNUAL DONOR REPORT

Straub Benioff: Ongoing Support From the Front Line

Bill Anonsen (center, with lei), Honolulu Firefighters Foundation board member; Simone Borisov (far right), Straub Benioff senior development officer; and Straub Benioff and Burn Care Unit leaders.

No one is closer to the Burn Care Unit’s role than Hawai‘i’s firefighters. But that relationship goes beyond the shared responsibility they have to burn victims. The Honolulu Firefighters Foundation has helped advance burn care by donating to Straub Benioff Medical Center since 2014.

“Recent tragedies only remind us of how critical these services are to those who need specialized care and lifesaving support,” said Bobby Lee, who spent 36 years as a Honolulu firefighter and is currently the president of the Honolulu Firefighters Association.

Bill Anonsen, a Honolulu  Firefighters Foundation board member, remembers what it was like before the Burn Care Unit was established in 1983. He has seen the difference such specialized care has meant for burn patients. So, when Bill presented the foundation’s $75,000 pledge for the next three years, he personally thanked the unit’s medical director, Dr. Robert Schulz, for his part in founding the Burn Care Unit with Dr. James Penoff. He found it to be a visionary accomplishment.

“Your team's dedication, compassion and expertise are truly heartfelt and inspiring,” Bill said. “Visiting the unit and meeting some of those on the front lines of care was both humbling and heartening. It reaffirmed our belief in the importance of sustaining this vital resource for our island communities. We’re grateful for the opportunity to be part of your journey.”