[Special Lecture] Learning is Living: The Joy of Being Able to Learn Now
On July 14th, we held a Team Medical Care Lecture for the first-year students.
The main theme of the lecture was titled “Learning is Living: The Joy of Being Able to Learn Now”, and we invited two guest speakers who have a special connection to our school to give presentations.
Lecture 1: I Want to Convey the Importance of Life: Connected Lives
Speaker: Yumiko Takano (Top photo: right)
Regional Promotion and Public Relations Committee Member, Japan Marrow Donor Program (Public Interest Incorporated Foundation)
Secretary General, NPO Marrow Donor Program Life's Morning Glory Niigata
★Mother of Toshiyuki Takano, 2nd intake student of the ICM Nursing Department
Regarding the connection between ICM and Yumiko Takano, her son Toshiyuki was hospitalized during the summer of his third year of high school with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. While fighting intense pain in his hospital bed, he aspired to become a nurse and passed the entrance exam for the ICM Nursing Department during a temporary discharge. However, when it came time to enroll in the spring, his condition worsened; he took a leave of absence, underwent a bone marrow transplant in May, but unfortunately passed away in June.
The Nightingale statue at ICM was actually donated by the Takano family in place of their son, whose dream of enrolling could not be fulfilled.
With her thoughts on Toshiyuki in her heart, Yumiko is active as a regional promotion and public relations committee member for the Japan Marrow Donor Program.
She has also published a book titled “I Might Not Make It... (What My Beloved Son Who Passed Away from Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Left Behind),” which chronicles Toshiyuki’s battle with the illness.
In the lecture, Yumiko spoke vividly about Toshiyuki’s life during his illness, sharing the thoughts of Toshiyuki himself, his mother, and his family at that time, and footage of his struggle with the illness was shown.
Some students were moved to tears as they witnessed the reality of his difficult battle with the illness.
Yumiko conveyed her wish to the students: “For the sake of Toshiyuki, who could not fulfill his dream of becoming a nurse, I want you to study as hard as you can at school and save as many patients as possible as medical professionals.”
Lecture 2: From Patient to Medical Professional: What Does It Mean to Help Others?
Speaker: Sao Irei (Top photo: left)
Coordinator, Japan Marrow Donor Program (Public Interest Incorporated Foundation)
Vice Representative Committee Member, Niigata Marrow Donor Program Supporters
Acupuncturist, Hari/Kyu Koutoya★Graduate of the ICM Acupuncture and Moxibustion Department
Ms. Irei (formerly Suzuki), an ICM graduate is currently active in Niigata City as an acupuncturist (having opened Hari/Kyu Koutoya).
At the age of 15, she developed aplastic anemia (a specific intractable disease where all white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets in the blood decrease) and dropped out of high school. After improving through blood transfusions and a treatment called ATG (anti-thymocyte globulin), she encountered acupuncture and moxibustion. She enrolled in the ICM Acupuncture and Moxibustion Department, but suffered a relapse during her first year (at age 21). She took a temporary leave of absence and underwent a bone marrow transplant.
After the transplant, she returned to school while continuing to receive regular treatment and successfully graduated from the Acupuncture and Moxibustion Department (I believe she holds the record for the longest enrollment period of six years). As a student, even while undergoing difficult treatment, Ms. Irei was a student with a wonderful smile who always acted very cheerfully.
Of course, she is still a very wonderful woman today!!
Currently, as a bone marrow donor registration coordinator, she is energetically involved in giving lectures on the bone marrow donor program.
This time, her lecture came with the happy news that she got married in 2024!!
Ms. Irei shared the preciousness of life that she was able to feel through her own battle with illness, the miracle of encountering acupuncture and moxibustion, and how wonderful it is to “just be able to go to school and learn normally.”
“‘What does it mean to help others?’ As medical professionals working for the happiness of someone else, it is important that you yourselves are happy first.” she said, cheering on her juniors.
Through the lecture, I hope the students were able to feel the “importance of life” and the “joy of being able to learn as if it were a given.”
I look forward to them reflecting on their current lives and studies, and taking a step forward and growing as medical professionals.
Recommendation for Bone Marrow Donor Registration
In addition, this lecture also serves the purpose of wanting young students to know the following about bone marrow donor registration.
We plan to hold a group blood donation event around winter, along with a bone marrow donor registration information session.
① It is not “someone special” but “us” who have the potential to save a life
To cure blood diseases such as leukemia, a “bone marrow transplant” is sometimes necessary. In such cases, the probability of finding a matching donor is about 1 in several hundred.
However, each and every one of us has the potential to be that “one person.”
② Young people have a higher potential as donors
For bone marrow transplants, the donor’s physical strength and health condition are important.
Therefore, registration by the younger generation (teens to 30s) is very important.
Learning about the bone marrow donor program while you are a student and considering registration is “preparing to save future lives.”
③ Having correct knowledge reduces prejudice and anxiety
It is often avoided due to images of it being “painful” or “dangerous,” but in reality, it is a safely managed medical procedure, and recovery is said to be quick.
Having the correct information expands the circle of understanding and support for donors.