I’m sad to inform you of the recent passing of my good friend Stan Yates, longtime member of the Board of Directors—and heart/soul -- of the Hemophilia Foundation of Hawaii (HFH).
In the 1990’s Stan served on the NHF’s Medical and Scientific Advisory Council as Consumer Representative. An honor that I know he treasured.
Stan firmly believed that Hawaii residents with hemophilia should have access to the full range of diagnosis and treatment services that are offered by Hemophilia Treatment Center (HTC) on the mainland. In the mid-1990’s, Stan took the bold step of requesting the transfer of the federal HRSA and CDC hemophilia grants from the HFH to Kapiolani Medical Center. Under the leadership of HTC Director Desiree Medeiros, MD, the Hemophilia and Thrombosis Treatment Center of Hawaii at Kapiolani has flourished. The full team of physicians, nurses, nurse practitioner, social worker, and physical therapist celebrates its first decade, holding annual outreach clinics on the neighbor islands of Kauai, Maui, and – starting in 2009 -- the “Big Island” of Hawaii. Stan was very proud.
Stan was a thoughtful caring man; a passionate advocate for people with disabilities. He also gave great hugs. A native of Seattle, Stan fostered the aloha spirit of his adopted beloved home in Kauai, Hawaii.
He’ll be greatly missed.
