When disaster strikes, people often find themselves with nowhere to go. But for those affected by the devastating Lahaina wildfire, they had someone to rely on – Dr. Cory Lehano.
Dr. Lehano manages the Mauliola Pharmacy, located about 40 minutes away from the wildfire site. When the fire left the town of Lahaina without a pharmacy, Lehano knew exactly what to do – he mobilized his team to provide essential life-saving medication to the survivors.
In the first few days after the fire, Lehano and his team, consisting of less than two dozen people, worked non-stop to provide medication free of charge. They took care of burn victims, helped with skin infections, and even conducted COVID tests.
Lehano was totally committed to helping people in need, even if it meant a financial hit to his pharmacy. He gathered his team and had a meeting in what he called “total chaos” during those long, long days. He asked his team if they were willing to continue on their mission to help. “Every single person in our meeting said ‘yes,’” said Lehano.
The hero’s efforts were met with gratitude from the survivors of the fire. The wildfire devastated over 2,100 structures and displaced an estimated 9,800 people. Without Lehano’s assistance, many of them would have struggled to obtain the necessary medication.According to him, “The symbol of hope is really just the people. They are hopeful and they are resilient and they are just ready to move forward.”
The motivation behind these noble acts stems from Lehano’s Hawaiian heritage; caring for the community is an integral part of their culture and traditions. However, what truly propelled Lehano was an unwavering optimism and hope.
Although the Mauliola Pharmacy team initially approached their work with unwavering determination, Lehano has come to realize that the journey is far from over. We can only hope and pray that those affected will experience a complete recovery, as individuals like Lehano continue to inspire us all.
This is Dr. Cory Lehano. He runs a pharmacy in Maui.
After the wildfires destroyed Lahaina’s pharmacy, many residents were left without access to life-saving medication.
So he packed up his pharmacy and drove down there to help them get those medications — for free.
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— Goodable (@Goodable) September 1, 2023
