About 30 Hawaii families with children facing or having faced life-threatening illnesses were treated to a Christmas breakfast Sunday at Ala Moana Center, part of the Neiman Marcus store’s annual “breakfast with Santa” tradition.

This year’s breakfast at Neiman Marcus’ on-site restaurant, Mariposa, was the store’s 17th. It benefitted families served by the nonprofit HUGS (Help, Understanding and Group Support for Hawaii’s Seriously Ill Children and Their Families). The group assists some 300 families with emotional and financial support as their children battle serious illness, according to Executive Director Joan Naguwa.

“Most of the families haven’t been to Mariposa before, so this is a great experience for them,” Naguwa said Sunday. “It brings joy and happiness and opportunities to meet other families in the same boat.”

HUGS also hosts monthly dinners to help create a support network among Hawaii families whose children are battling cancer, heart disease, cerebral palsy and similar life-threatening illnesses, Naguwa said.

Nine-year-old Mari Tamashiro attended Sunday’s breakfast at Mariposa with her parents and 6-year-old brother, Kai. Mari spent the past two Christmases in a hospital bed, fighting leukemia, according to her family, but with the disease in remission, she’s looking forward to a better holiday this year.

“I don’t need to sit in a bed all day,” said Mari, who lives in Kaneohe.

“We’re actually more relaxed and able to enjoy the holidays more,” said her mother, Elsa Tamashiro. Attending Sunday’s event was important “to be with other families to go through what we’ve gone through.”