2008 RELL SUNN AWARDEE

Dr. Doris Howell has lived the spirit of aloha through her life’s work – a selfless devotion to the care of others. From her early career as a pediatric oncologist to her later work in the establishment of San Diego Hospice, Dr. Howell’s life has been all about giving to others, especially to those whose lives have been affected by cancer.

Doris Howell’s career began as a medical student at McGill University in Montreal. Her academic medical career took her to Harvard and Duke University’s Medical Schools before she joined the UCSD School of Medicine faculty in 1974. At UCSD, Dr. Howell chaired the Department of Community and Family Medicine. As a faculty member, Dr. Howell mentored numerous medical students and residents. Dr. Howell is the sort of dedicated faculty person who could always make “extra office hours” to meet with her students.

When first introduced to the hospice concept in 1968, Dr. Howell immediately embraced this radical departure from the established way of caring for the dying and their families. Dr. Howell helped to advance the concept of hospice care in San Diego, and served on the Board of Directors at San Diego Hospice, now recognized as a national model for palliative care. Doris has been widely honored for her life’s work, both internationally, and in our own community. The Soroptimists have honored her by the establishment of The Doris A. Howell Foundation for Women’s Health Research. This Foundation supports the efforts of young researchers just beginning their careers in biomedical investigation. Through the support of the Howell Foundation, promising new research careers are launched each year.

Mahalo Doris, for being a living example of “aloha” for us all. It is with pleasure that we honor you as the Rell Sunn “Queen of Makaha” for 2008.

Thank you to our 2008 or 2009 Luau & Longboard Invitational’s title sponsor, Pfizer La Jolla.