Dr. Charman Akina

His parents told him that if he really wanted to be a doctor, he would have to go to Punahou. He entered Punahou in 8th grade and went on to Stanford, where he received both his undergraduate and medical degrees. Dr. Akina discovered an affinity for taking care of patients – an affinity that sprouted from his passion for orchids while a student at Punahou. He once said, “I didn't realize it at the time, but my time at Punahou was a crucial step in my preparation for college and, ultimately, medical school.... In retrospect, it was an easy transition because of the excellent education we received at Punahou.”

 

Dr. Akina had a long medical career as an internist in Honolulu and he was loved dearly by his patients. Dr. Akina’s compassion and caring for his patients also extended to the native plants, birds, animals and lands of Hawai`i. He was a philanthropist who generously supported Hawaiian studies and culture through Kamehameha Schools, The Nature Conservancy, Hawai`i Islands Land Trust, Mānoa Heritage Center and Punahou School. Charman Akina had no children and never married. He considered his bequest to Punahou to be his legacy out of gratitude for the education that prepared him to become a physician and as a gift to future generations of Hawai`i’s keiki.