| Spa and Wellness
Vacations
The Big Island of Hawaii
In the Hawaiian culture, the concept of total well-being,
of harmony in body, mind and spirit, is as old as the taro
fields. The most state of the art facilities and the latest
services at the areas hotel spas, as well as the vast array
of holistic health services available in the area, are all
firmly rooted in the ancient practices of native Hawaiians.
A Short History of the Kohala Coast
as a Wellness Destination.
In 1988 a nonprofit organization called Friends of the
Future was founded by Kenneth Brown, a native Hawaiian,
who believed that the Big Island and the Hawaiian culture
had healing properties and practices that could prove valuable
to improved quality of life to the community. The dream of
a hospind healital ang center was incubated. Then in 1991
Dr. Earl Bakken and his wife Doris took up residence
in Kohala. Dr. Bakken, who had made his fame and fortune creating
Medtronic, the world’s leading medical technology company
specializing in implantable and interventional therapies,
and co-developing the first implantable pacemaker, chose this
corner of the world for retirement. But his new work was just
beginning, and along with it, his discovery of just how much
his own beliefs about healing--that true healing goes beyond
treating the body to healing mind and spirt—shared with
Hawaiian wisdom on health and healing.
Dr. Bakken has actively championed the Big Island as "The
Healing Island of the World." When the North Hawaii
Community Hospital opened in June 1996, it was unlike
any other hospital, with fresh air, open doors, local art
and the complementary care of chiropractic, massage, acupuncture
and naturopathic practices offered to patients. Dr. Bakken
believed a health education center was needed to complement
the hospital, and Tutu’s House, a resource information
center took shape. This is a community center that hosts programs
on a wide range of health related topics, offers support groups,
and maintains a computer database of medical information related
to health and wellness of mind, body and spirit.
The Five Mountain Medical Community, a non-profit organization,
was formed to promote access to Kohala’s healing resources
to all people, whether residents of the community or visitors
from around the world. Through this organization Dr. Bakken
has actively championed the Big Island as "The Healing
Island of the World" by promoting health-related vacations
and conferences, and medical treatment and related recovery
therapies which are offered through health spas as well as
the hospital and Tutu’s House. In all their efforts,
Dr. Bakken and his colleagues have sought to further medical
practices that integrate the best of human care by treating
the whole person: Body, Mind and Spirit.
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