Kahaone “Kaha” Kelau returned to Hawaii last year and later began battling headaches that turned into seizures and strokes before doctors diagnosed him with valley fever that had spread to his brain. The 21-year-old is now largely unable to speak or move and remains in long-term care in Phoenix, where he communicates with an eye-tracking device.
Laura Kelau said getting her son to a specialized center in Arizona ran close to six figures, and the family arranged an air medevac flight that cost about $96,000. After he arrived, Mayo staff organized a luau-themed birthday celebration in his hospital room, a small bright spot in a case that has left the family leaning on a GoFundMe campaign to cover medical and living expenses.
The move to Phoenix put Kelau into a center built for the sort of severe case he is living through. Mayo Clinic’s Cocci Clinic brings together infectious disease, pulmonary and neurology experts to treat complex coccidioidomycosis, the medical name for valley fever. The disease often begins with cough, fever and fatigue and can look like a routine respiratory illness, but the CDC says about 5 percent of infections spread beyond the lungs and into other parts of the body.
Arizona has seen valley fever incidence roughly double from 2005 through 2022, and Arizona and California account for the vast majority of U.S. infections. Hawaii News Now previously chronicled the family’s months-long fight with insurers over approval for out-of-state specialty treatment, and Laura Kelau has said Hawaii does not have the specialized resources needed to manage her son’s condition.
For the Kelaus, the question is no longer whether Kaha can get specialized care. He already has it, at great cost, far from home. The harder reality is that his condition has left him dependent on round-the-clock long-term care, with an uncertain road ahead even after one of the country’s top centers took over.