In April, I wrote about pioneering doctor Ralph Cloward, Hawaii’s first neurosurgeon.
After that, readers began discussing remarkable doctors who had provided care to them throughout the years. Below are some of the doctors who exceeded their expectations.
Dr. Sorrell Waxman
Louise Saffery said, “Sorrell ‘Doc Sam’ Waxman was the most unusual pediatrician I ever met. He cared so much about his ‘little patients.’
“He came to the hospital the day after each of my children were born, unwrapped the swaddle around them (annoying the nurses) so we could see all of their fingers and toes.
“He had ‘Welcome Call’ hours in the early morning where you could ask questions, no matter how big or small. He answered them with patience.
“At each ‘Well Baby Visit,’ he gave written instructions on how to proceed with feeding and what to expect in the coming months.
“As our children got older, he called them all ‘Kiddo.’ They loved him. So did we,” said Saffery.
“Pictures of his little patients decorated his waiting room. He was better than Dr. Spock! Sadly, he passed this year at age 94. Our family will miss him and never forget his kindness.”
Diabetes
Mark James agreed. “Dr. Sorrell Waxman was the go-to pediatrician for early onset (Type 1) diabetes patients in Hawaii, like my daughter.
“He was, at the time of her diagnosis in 1983, among the few pediatricians who specialized in insulin-dependent keiki. People flew in from the neighbor islands to be his patients.
“He was a fixture for decades at Kapiolani Hospital. All his former patients and their families loved him … and hated him.
“He was the first doctor I ever met who could dish out the ‘tough love’ to the parents of diabetic kids on the realities of their care and consequences of their actions (and we still loved him).
“He helped hundreds of families deal with their new reality.”
Dr. Herbert S. Takaki
While he was studying at the University of Chicago in the late 1920s, Herbert Takaki was a good athlete. He was the center fielder for the pioneering Aloha Baseball Team in Chicago, composed of students from Hawaii.
He was a star bantamweight wrestler (118 pounds) and never lost a match in three years.
Takaki was educated at Rush Medical College, where he graduated in 1931.
Chuck Nakagawa said, “Dr. Herbert Takaki was my doctor for 30 years. He … performed three surgeries on me by age 13.
“I was a sickly child and visited him often. My earliest memories are of him checking me with his stethoscope, a cigarette on his lips and a large glass ashtray full of butts on his desk.
“As a flight attendant, I had the pleasure of having him on one of my flights in his later years. It was a fairly empty night flight, and we chatted a bit.
“He died in 1999 at age 97, and his obituary listed three sons as doctors. My dentist is his grandson,” Nakagawa said, “and his brother is a medical doctor.”
Dr. Minoru Kimura
Devera Rita Chun described three memorable doctors. “They don’t make them like Minoru Kimura anymore,” she said. “He cared for my family in the 1950s to 1960s.”
Kimura (1909-1995) opened his offices on North King Street in 1939. “His two nurses were Betty and Jean. Together, this medical team worked diligently and effectively to return us back to health when he fell ill.
“His office was packed with people of various ethnicities. He never seemed to slow down, but spoke to me as if I were the only person in the world!”
Dr. Donn Tokairin
“At 37 years old, I was pregnant with my second child,” Chun continued. “I had a family history of gestational diabetes and a stillborn from my mother, so I was monitored closely by my OB-GYN, Donn Tokairin. I had a healthy boy via C-section.
“Tokairin was an upbeat gynecologist who often had photos of handsome young men pasted on his ceiling directly above the exam table.
“My guess is that his female patients would relax and gaze at these macho men while he examined them. He retired at the end of 2020 to spend more time with his family.”
Dr. Roy Kuboyama
Chun also nominated Dr. Roy Kuboyama, who she said was “small but mighty.”
Kuboyama was a flyweight boxer in 1952 and became the first University of Hawaii athlete to win an individual NCAA championship.
“Parents like myself were taught how to hold our babies as he examined them.
“Further, we were given a pocket-sized book in which all information (height, weight, formula, foods, etc.) were recorded and brought in with each visit.
“He also would suggest puzzles, and books, pertinent to the baby’s age. He was thoroughly interested in each baby from school age to teens.
“After retirement he pursued his dream of cooking and enrolled in a culinary program. He passed away in 2023 at the age of 92,” Chun said.
Dr. Robert Dimler
“My three children’s doctor was Robert Dimler (1907-2009) of Kailua,” said Helen Walker.
“He was the best pediatrician! My youngest child got into a car accident when he was a teenager. Dr. Dimler met me at Castle Hospital and took care of him in the emergency room.
“He was a kind and compassionate human being!”
Dr. Victoria Wang
Renate Ryan said, “Around the 2000s I had tried the ‘best allergists’ in Honolulu but found no cure or improvement for my condition.
“Then I was referred to Victoria Wang, who had many years of treating children and adults.
“I was pretty senior at this time, but she tested me and cured me to the point where I could function like a normal person. She found what triggered my reactions, while no one else did.
“Sadly, she retired around 2015. She deserves a lot of mahalos.”
Dr. Felix Lafferty
Terry Savage said, “When I was in my mid-20s, I awoke one morning with the left side of my face paralyzed.
“Naturally, I assumed I’d had a stroke, but Dr. Felix Lafferty diagnosed it as Bell’s palsy and urged me not to panic, saying the symptoms would likely diminish in a week or so. This did in fact happen, which was a relief.
“I wish I could have had his reassuring counsel some 25 years later when Bell’s palsy paid me another visit and its effects lingered for months.”
Lafferty (1919-1979) grew up in Canada and was drawn to Hawaii through books he read and by listening to “Hawaii Calls” radio broadcasts.
Mahalo
I want to take a moment to thank my primary care physician, Dr. Stephen Arnold, who is retiring this summer. He took excellent care of me for most of my adult life. I wish him well in retirement.
Readers: Which doctor (or health care professional) made a difference in your life?
Bob Sigall is the author of the five “The Companies We Keep” books. Contact him at Sigall@Yahoo.com or sign up for his free email newsletter at RearviewMirrorInsider.com.
