Encourager finds optimism amid dark days of cancer

By Lee Cataluna

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Aug 21, 2011

~~<p>Kaloa Robinson made a sweet life for himself. After graduating from Damien, he went to Whittier and then got his master's at George Washington University. He worked on Sen. Daniel Akaka's staff in D.C. before coming home to Hawaii, getting married and settling down in Hilo to raise five children. He worked as head of neighbor island outreach for the University of Hawaii at Manoa, was CEO of Hui Malama Ola Na Oiwi and served as a Hawaii County police commissioner and fire commissioner. If he is known for one thing, it's for being the most supportive, encouraging guy around.</p>
<p>But in the past two years, it's been one tough break after another. Robinson was laid off from two different jobs, most recently from Puna Geothermal in March. The family home is facing foreclosure. And then the 46-year-old father of two and stepfather of three was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer.</p>
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Kaloa Robinson made a sweet life for himself. After graduating from Damien, he went to Whittier and then got his master's at George Washington University. He worked on Sen. Daniel Akaka's staff in D.C. before coming home to Hawaii, getting married and settling down in Hilo to raise five children. He worked as head of neighbor island outreach for the University of Hawaii at Manoa, was CEO of Hui Malama Ola Na Oiwi and served as a Hawaii County police commissioner and fire commissioner. If he is known for one thing, it's for being the most supportive, encouraging guy around.

But in the past two years, it's been one tough break after another. Robinson was laid off from two different jobs, most recently from Puna Geothermal in March. The family home is facing foreclosure. And then the 46-year-old father of two and stepfather of three was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer. Login for more...