WAILUKU - With about $152,000 in donations raised over the past several months, Maui Police Department criminalist Julie Wood is heading to Sweden, where she will undergo advanced treatment for cancer.
While friends and co-workers continue Julie's Hope fundraising efforts, Wood has taken out a loan for the remaining cost of the treatment, which isn't covered by her insurance.
"I'm glad we're in a position now where we can do that," she said. "It's really great that we're so close that it's a reality."
Because her cancer is active, Wood will undergo surgery at a critical time. She leaves with a strong showing of support that unfolded "at a time in my life where things were looking pretty darn grim."
"It's unbelievable how many people contributed," she said. "It's amazing how uplifting this whole experience has been. It's been very humbling to put yourself out there and say I needed help. Just the outpouring of support - it's made me view people differently. I just have had a chance to see the good part in people's hearts."
The fundraising began last year, with the MPD Records Section setting up donation jars and selling snacks at police stations. The effort also included a golf tournament, wine and food tasting with an auction, garage sales, a cross-cultural concert at Lahaina United Methodist Church and a pizza fundraiser at Flatbread Co. in Paia.
Atlantis Submarines, where Wood's husband, Greg, is employed, donated the proceeds from some of its submarine tours in September, October and November.
"The fundraising went really well," Wood said. "It's just mind-boggling that, especially in these hard economic times, people were so generous. It's amazing how much effort people put in. It wasn't just money that people donated. People donated their time, their artwork, their creations."
One donation came in the form of air mileage to cover costly airline tickets to Sweden.
Wood was diagnosed with a rare form of appendix cancer on Valentine's Day 2006. Refusing to accept the opinion that her cancer was incurable, she drew on her training as a scientist to research treatments. The procedure developed by cancer researchers in Sweden involves taking a patient's own cells that are recognizing and fighting the cancer, propagating the cells and putting them back into the body.
She was determined to be a good candidate for the procedure. The main hurdle was the approximately $200,000 cost.
Wood, who turned 52 last summer, expects to be on medical leave from her job for about two months.
For the past 12 years, she has run the MPD Crime Lab, weighing and testing drug evidence, as well as testing and validating scientific instruments used in the analysis.
Co-worker Diana Custer, who has helped coordinate the fundraising, said she was especially touched by a donation that came after she made an appeal on an Oahu television station last year.
She returned to Maui to find a message on her phone from an Oahu man who had been laid off from his job at Aloha Airlines.
"In the same sentence, he said because of that he had to donate to Julie," Custer said. "That was so touching. He said because he couldn't find a job, the least he could do was help Julie.
"It's this special quality people have - in rough times, they still find generosity."
MPD employees made lei, washcloths and scrunchies to sell, setting up booths at the swap meet and Maui County Fair. Julie's Hope Crime Lab polo shirts also were sold.
Wood also received support from police departments on the Big Island and in Honolulu, where employees sold Julie's Hope lunches. Other contributions came through donation jars at Kuau Mart, the Morihara Store and other locations. And many people donated at Bank of Hawaii branches.
Not knowing who those donors were, Wood said she didn't get to thank them. "I would like to extend a special thanks to those people," she said.
Donations to "Julie's Hope" are still being accepted at any Bank of Hawaii branch. More information is available at www.JuliesHope.com.
* Lila Fujimoto can be reached at lfujimoto@mauinews.com.
