A Waiʻanae resident has received national recognition for her ongoing advocacy work in the fight against cancer.
The American Cancer Society's Cancer Action Network, or ACS CAN, presented West Oʻahu native Mckayla McCullah with its Young Leader Award in Washington, D.C., last week.
McCullah has been a lead volunteer for the nonprofit's Hawaiʻi sector since 2023. She helped organize Cancer Action Day on the local level and has met with state lawmakers to speak on behalf of ACS CAN.
She said she was emotional about the recognition.
“For me, it meant more than just an award,” she told HPR. “It meant that I was representing my homes, my Native Hawaiians and my community of Mākaha and Waiʻanae."
McCullah was motivated to get into advocacy work in her community, which is mostly Pacific Islander, after her mother told her that all her great-grandparents died from cancer.
Studies have found that Native Hawaiians are three times more likely than other ethnic populations to experience coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes.
McCullah has organized college outreach efforts, community events, and cancer and coffee talks in her community to help raise awareness about the deadly disease.
The award was presented to McCullah in front of over 700 cancer patients and survivors at the summit, who were all meeting with elected officials to urge them to increase funding for cancer research.
