Seeley Borges, a lovable 4-year-old from Kauai who battled cancer mere weeks after birth, has been named Hawaii’s 2026 Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) Champion for Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children. She and her family will spend the next year sharing her remarkable story and being a symbol of hope and resilience.
The announcement was made today at the Sheraton Waikiki Beach Resort. Among those at the ceremony were parents Hayley and Shawn, older sister Ainsley, along with local and national CMN partners, as well as Kapiolani doctors, nurses and staff who saved Seeley’s life.
“We are so proud of Seeley,” Shawn said. “Seeing her go through all those adversities proves that you can make it through anything in life.”
Seeley was born on Kauai in September 2021. Two weeks later, she developed a slight but stubborn fever. When her parents took her to Wilcox Medical Center, the team there discovered an alarmingly high white blood cell count. An immediate medical flight was arranged to Kapiolani, the only full-service children’s hospital in the state.
At Kapiolani, her parents learned Seeley had acute myeloid leukemia, a blood and bone marrow cancer. Not only was it an extremely rare diagnosis for a baby so young, the cancer was very aggressive. If treatment didn’t begin right away, she would only have days to live.
The Kapiolani team, led by pediatric hematologist and oncologist Dr. Wade Kyono, got to work immediately.
“I remember Dr. Kyono telling us, ‘You have to trust me. I know what I’m doing,’” Hayley said.
Seeley needed multiple rounds of intense chemotherapy, as well as powerful antibiotics for her weakened immune system. It was a regimen that would’ve tested even the toughest adult. But Seeley, still only a few months old, endured and achieved a milestone by going into remission.
Her journey was far from over. Due to her cancer’s complexity, she needed a bone marrow transplant in addition to chemotherapy. Finding a donor, however, was virtually impossible.
There was no shortage of people willing to help. Local news and social media shared Seeley’s story, and thousands came out to community bone marrow drives to see if they met the criteria to be a donor. But due to Seeley’s mixed ethnicities, none matched.
Giving up wasn’t an option. Kapiolani worked with a mainland hospital conducting a clinical trial that could allow Hayley to be Seeley’s bone marrow donor, even though they weren’t a perfect match. Kapiolani helped to get Seeley to Seattle, where she received the transplant. Though it was successful, she spent several months recovering from side effects.
In August 2022, just a few weeks before her first birthday, Seeley returned to Hawaii and to Kapiolani’s care. This time, she was no longer a newborn battling cancer but a champion who had defeated the challenges thrown at her.
“The enormity of what she had to face at such a young age, the road that she's gone through and all the obstacles that she's overcome are incredible,” said Dr. Christopher Gibu, Kapiolani neonatologist who treated Seeley as a newborn.
Today, Seeley remains in remission and visits Kapiolani every few months, where she sees many of the familiar team members who cared for her throughout her cancer journey.
“The special part about being in Hawaii is the sense of ohana,” Dr. Kyono said. “We get to know our patients so well. It’s like Seeley’s my granddaughter.”
Video: Hawaii's 2026 Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Champion: Seeley Borges
Champion Pin Represents Seeley's Journey
Seeley and her family are excited to inspire and encourage people across Hawaii during her CMN Champion year. Her special Champion pin, designed by her family and local artist Kelsie Dayna, features:
- Two types of ginger plants representing Seeley’s middle name, Awapuhi.
- They also portray healthy red and white blood cells, which Seeley now has after her treatment.
- The plants are brought together by a gold ribbon, which represents childhood cancer awareness.
- The “S” at the end of the ribbon is for Seeley.
- Together, the elements create a garden - a nod to Seeley’s home of Kauai, the Garden Isle.
Community Partnerships Support Programs at Kapiolani
“The Champions put a face to what might otherwise be a textbook diagnosis,” said Butch Galdeira, president of Diamond Bakery, which is one of many CMN partners that support Kapiolani. “They remind us that behind every medical journey is a child full of dreams, a family held together by love and a future filled with possibility. Through their bravery and grace, they move us to action, showing us the power of perseverance and the importance of giving back to make a difference for every child.”
Kapiolani relies on community support to care for families in Hawaii and the Pacific region, with 100% of every dollar donated staying in Hawaii to help local keiki.
Kapiolani’s partnership with CMN dates back more than 40 years. Fundraising partners raised more than $4 million for Kapiolani CMN in 2025. They include Walmart and Sam's Club, Costco Wholesale, Marriott International and Marriott Vacations Worldwide, Panda Express, Ace Hardware, KSSK with iHeartMedia, various Hawaii credit unions, as well as local partners D. Suehiro Electric, Inc., Navian Hawaii, local Hyundai dealers, Diamond Bakery, Fighting Eel, Coco Moon and more.
Photo (top): The Borges family. From left: Hayley, Ainsley, Seeley and Shawn.
Photo (inset 1): Sisters Ainsley and Seeley.
Photo (inset 2): 2026 Kapiolani Children’s Miracle Network Champion Seeley Borges (center) with her family and the Kapiolani team. From left: Terence Young, Kapiolani CEO; Hayley, Ainsley and Shawn Borges; Dr. Wade Kyono, Kapiolani pediatric hematologist-oncologist; and Andrew Moats, Kapiolani chief operating officer.