Author and educator Frances H. Kakugawa will hold book signings and presentations in Hilo, Lihue and Honolulu during the month of October. Kakugawa, who grew up in Kapoho on the Big Island of Hawai‘i, will be the keynote speaker at the Hawai‘i County Office of Aging Caregiver Conference, and will lead workshops for the Alzheimer Association Aloha Chapter’s Kaua‘i and Honolulu offices. All events are open to the public.

Kakugawa is an advocate of the power of writing to help families and caregivers cope with the burdens of long-term illness. She has been featured on KHON2 newscasts with Kirk Matthews and in The Honolulu Advertiser for her work with children and adults, using journaling and creative writing to come to a better understanding of Alzheimer’s patients and deal with the stresses of having a family member afflicted with the disease.