"Children's Hospice" -A place where children's lives shine-March 15, 17:11

A big sky outside the window.

Children's laughter echoes in the spacious space.

Children's hospice just created in Yokohama.

It was born from the strong desire of a father who

"wants to make the life of a child shine" .

(Yokohama Broadcasting Station reporter Momoko Ariyoshi)

Unexpected sentence

Haruka Tagawa, who smiles and fits in the picture.

One morning in early summer 25 years ago, Haruka-chan complained that she had a headache.

She was prescribed a cold medicine in pediatrics, but she continued to be ill.

As summer is about to end, her father, Naoto, notices that Haruka-chan is dragging her legs.

When she went to the general hospital, her doctor told her, "I have a tumor in her brainstem and I can only live for another six months. It's about having a good time with her family."

She had a childhood cancer called "brain stem glioma".

Mr. Tagawa could not immediately accept her ruthless "declaration" against her 6-year-old daughter.

How to spend the remaining time

However, even if I had an illness, my feelings gradually changed as I witnessed my child, who continued to grow and move forward like a child every day.

Mr. Tagawa

"I practiced writing with my left hand and in about a week I was able to write in the same way as my right hand. I was in charge of pianica in the drum and fife corps of the kindergarten, but now I can play well with my left hand. It was very encouraging to have been positively living every day. "

It is said that he came to think that it was important how to spend a little time of half a year.

Mr. Tagawa

"I decided to talk with my wife so that I could spend every day with a smile, first of all, not to show my sister the anxiety that my life would be gone in half a year."

Haruka-chan kept the hamster she wanted, and Haruka-chan became a bait clerk.

She went on a trip with her family, ate rice together, took a bath, and had a "fun time".

Immediately before he died, Haruka-chan's wish to go to the sea in Chiba when he was fine was fulfilled.

Mr. Tagawa

"I was saying that I wanted to go to the same place, so I think it was the most memorable place for her. I slept all the time in the car on my way home and had a happy face. The next day, I held my breath, but I had a good time until just before I died. "

A place to support sick children and parents

Mr. Tagawa has continued to support sick children and parents with memories of Haruka-chan in his heart.

Children like Haruka-chan, who originated in England, learned about the existence of "Children's Hospice" where they can have a good time with their families, and now they strongly want to make it in Japan.

When I actually started to move, there was a big wall there.

Children's hospice does not fit into the medical and welfare systems, so they had to cover the construction costs themselves.

Mr. Tagawa held concerts and called for donations to raise funds.

In addition, we were able to get a subsidy from the government and collected 240 million yen for construction.

"Children's Hospice-Umi and Sora no Uchi"

And last November, "Children's Hospice-Umi to Sora no Uchi" was opened in Yokohama.

Facilities include a large kitchen and dining space, private rooms for families to lie down, and large baths.

This is a place where children with life-threatening illnesses and their families can spend their time with the support of nurses and nursery teachers.

A place where children can smile

There were people who were waiting for the facility to be completed.

I'm a 5-year-old Ema-chan's family living in Yokohama.

When she was two years old, she was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a type of childhood cancer.

She spends a total of more than two years in the hospital for treatment.

Ema-chan, who has received treatments such as chemotherapy that make her feel difficult as an adult, says she does not make a soft noise.

Masumi's mother

"Until recently, I haven't cried so much for medical care, and if I said that the test wouldn't work, I would put up with it for an hour, and I'm doing my best to wonder why I wouldn't complain."

Even if I can go home, I don't go to kindergarten very often because of the corona, and I rarely have the chance to play with my friends of the same age.

Her parents wanted a place where Ema could spend her childhood.

Ema-chan became the first user of the completed facility.

I was able to talk with the staff completely and experienced making sweets with friends of the same age.

In addition, you can play hide-and-seek in a large space, swing on a swing, and play dynamically.

Her parents also watch over Ema-chan, who makes a loud laugh and plays with a smile.

Father Masamichi

"I've been looking forward to it for days, and when I come, I'm playing with different eye colors, so I'm glad."

Ema will be hospitalized again and will spend the entire March at the hospital for treatment, but I'm looking forward to having her 6th birthday celebrated at Children's Hospice in April.

Only 2 locations nationwide

There are 200,000 children with intractable diseases nationwide.

Of these, it is estimated that there are 20,000 children with life-threatening illnesses.

However, there are only two "Children's Hospice" in Osaka City and Yokohama City nationwide that are not attached to hospitals.

This is because having to cover construction and operating costs is a major barrier.

For hospice in Yokohama, the user's burden is 1000 yen each time.

The annual operation costs about 45 million yen, and it is managed by receiving donations from individuals and companies as well as government subsidies.

Even so, Mr. Tagawa, who has been playing a central role, continues to move forward, hoping to support as many children and families as possible.

The driving force is her feelings for her late daughter.

Mr. Naoto Tagawa

"The meaning that Haruka was born to us, I think that the time spent was connected to this building. I felt like I was living in my heart together, and I achieved it. I thought it wasn't, and the driving force is still the same. "

A place where children's lives shine

There are moves to establish "Children's Hospice" in various places such as Tokyo and Fukuoka, but we have not made any concrete progress due to financial issues.

However, there are gradual movements toward solving problems, such as holding study sessions by members of parliament and showing a policy that the government will consider at the "Children's Family Agency," which is aiming to be launched next year.

"Children's Hospice" is a place that not only supports children with serious illness and their families, but also faces the lives of each and every one of them and makes them shine.

I hope that these places will expand in the future.

Yokohama Broadcasting Station Reporter

Momoko Ariyoshi

Joined in 2003

After working at Miyazaki Station and Sendai Station, the Political Department and Network News Department

covered Yokohama City Administration and child-rearing at the Yokohama Station from 2020.