Mission to Japan

At the December 9 Park Ridge Rotary meeting at The Courtyard  by Marriott, Englewood’s Club President, Ikuyo Yanagistawa, PDG Raj Bhatia, and Northern Valley Past President Jim Boyer visited our club to describe their August visit to Japan. Traveling with a team of members from the 9.11 community, the Japanese Medical Society of America and Mount Sinai Global Health, they sought to bring hope to those affected by the 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster at the Fukushima power plant.

During their week-long stay, participants in the mission visited temporary shelters in 3 states, celebrated “Christmas in July”, and spoke with numerous individuals whose lives had been forever changed by the multiple disasters. Included also on their busy itinerary was a luncheon with the oldest Rotary Club of Sendai, chartered in 1937.

Theirs was the second mission to the region near Tohoku. A highly regarded mission in 2012 brought requests for a second visit. The emotional support provided on these occasions has proven to be especially helpful in enhancing the resilience and coping mechanisms of affected children.

Park Ridge Club members were given an opportunity to view many of the events that took place during the mission thanks to the effective Power Point presentation put together by Ikuyo, Raj and Jim.  One of the most moving moments described the group’s visit to see the “Soaring Crane” in Koriyama. The origami crane, fabricated out of steel recovered from 9/11, had been delivered during the first mission in 2012. Presented at the time by The September 11th Families’ Association, this monument in the shape of a crane had been inspired by Sadako Sasaki who died at age 12 from radiation exposure after the bombing of Hiroshima. A children’s book entitled Message on a Wing has been published by the Koriyama West Rotary Club and was shared with club members. It tells the story of Sadako’s strength and courage as she battled radiation induced leukemia. Hundreds of copies have been donated by the Koriyama club to schools and libraries in Fukushima.