The family of junior Kaena Kekoa will be hosting a bake sale for Breast Cancer Awareness on Feb. 15. This will be the second time the Kekoa family has hosted the sale at the Academy for the American Cancer Society.

“My aunty was diagnosed with breast cancer a few years ago and didn’t tell anyone,” Kekoa said. “She found out in a later stage of the cancer and went through chemo, and it was really difficult for her and the family. She died this past summer, and her sister mentioned in her eulogy how the one thing she wanted was for others to be aware of breast cancer to help further its research.”

Kekoa is passionate about this cause and wants to do something in her aunt’s memory.

“It inspired me to help raise money for more research. It’s my passion, and I feel a special attachment to it,” she said.

To raise money for research, the Kekoa family thought of ways to raise money within the Sacred Hearts Academy community.

“The bake sale was my idea,” Kekoa said. “I thought a bake sale would be the best thing because it involved food and it was for a good cause.”

The Kekoa family hosted its first bake sale last year. Academy families donated baked goods and all were sold, raising $500 that went to the Hawaii Ward of the American Cancer Society.

Kekoa hopes that the bake sale will continue beyond her years at the Academy.

“If there is someone that would like to take it over, it would be the best thing. I want this bake sale to inspire people to know and understand the effects of breast cancer on the person and their families and realize how powerful the cancer is. I hope that it will go on.”