Introduction of Kono
Please meet Kono Igarashi. She is an 11-year-old girl. Since June 2020, she has been repeatedly admitted and discharged from the hospital due to a mysterious illness. And finally, in May 2021, she was diagnosed with “dilated cardiomyopathy”.
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a type of heart muscle disease that causes the heart chambers (ventricles) to thin and stretch, growing larger. It typically starts in the heart’s main pumping chamber (left ventricle). Dilated cardiomyopathy makes it harder for the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body.
Kono’s sole desire is to spend time with her family and friends. She has endured a lot of painful treatments; however, it is difficult to stop the progression of the disease. Her only hope to survive and live a normal life is through a heart transplant. For now, she is connected with an auxiliary artificial heart to keep herself alive. Her family wishes to send her to the Texas Children’s Hospital in the United States for her to undergo a very expensive procedure: heart transplant. Hence, we decided to do fundraising to cover the cost of the procedure, and to make Kono’s wish to return home come true.
We sincerely ask for your understanding and support.The progress so far
The year 2020
It all began in 2020 when she started showing symptoms like colds and cough. She got easily tired from doing even the simplest things. She underwent consultations on different schedules : June 2, June 4, June 5, and on June 6 she was admitted at a hospital due to an emergency. She was later transferred to the University Hospital and hospitalized in CCU where she started treatment for heart failure. Finally on August 7, she was transferred to C Medical Center for further treatment. Symptoms like a cold, starting to cough, easy to get tiredThe year 2021
In January 20, 2021, she underwent a mitral valve surgery. On May 25, just four months after the surgery, she was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy. And sadly, she had already reached the limits of internal treatment. Later on June 26, she was again transferred to the National Center for Child Health and Development and on September 7, she again underwent another surgery to install the Auxiliary Artificial Heart (EXCOR) (VAD). Currently, she is still in the hospital in Japan waiting for a possible donor for heart transplant.Kono’s recent situation
Tweets by KONO_sukuukaiTarget donation amount
500 million yen
Thank you very much for the many loved ones who gave generously.The current donation amount is 489,012,647 yen.
（As of 6:00 on March 2, next renewal date on 7）
However, we still need to raise more to cover the much-needed expenses.
The sad reality we face for Kono’s case is that there is little hope of her undergoing a pediatric heart transplant in Japan. The good news, however, is that there are successful cases in the United States. Thus, our family decided to apply although we are aware of the massive cost it will entail.
Please help KONO
We are appealing for your kindness and we are sincerely hoping for your understanding and generosity. You may deposit your donations through the following means:
A message from Kono’s parents
Our only child Kono was born on December 8, 2011. She is a typical, healthy, normal baby since the day she was born. She is enthusiastic and passionate about dancing that she started as soon as she entered her elementary years. She also loves calligraphy. And like most 11-year old girls, she is cheerful, gentle, and most of all, charming.
All was well with her until June 2020, when she started showing symptoms like colds. Since then, she was in and out of the hospital for treatments but she was not completely healed. It was in January 2021 when the diagnosis required for her to undergo mitral valve surgery. We thought she would be fine after that, but unfortunately, just after four months, she was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy. And to make matters worse, she reached the limit of medical treatment that in June 2021 she was transferred to the National Center for Child and Development.
Her ordeal continued, and to save her life, in September 2021, she had auxiliary artificial heart surgery.
We hope to get a transplant here in Japan, however, we are racing against time. DCM is a progressive disease and an auxiliary artificial heart is only a temporary solution. She needs a heart transplant as soon as possible. And as parents, we are very much worried that our daughter will not be able to get a donor in time. Questions like “how much time does she have? How much longer can she hold on?”
Hence, to save her life, we decided to apply for a heart transplant overseas. Kono already underwent two open chest surgeries. There was a time when she almost collapsed and gave up! Her everyday wish is “I want to go home”.
She has suffered enough and, as parents, it pains us to see our precious daughter in this dreadful condition.
Our daughter is a fighter. She loves life. She loves to live! And this disease gave her the courage to fight and dream. Her dream is “I want to become a nurse because I can understand the feelings of small children who are suffering more than anyone else”.
We are very proud of our daughter. We love her very much. And we will push heaven and earth to make her dream come true.
Hence, we are earnestly appealing for your generosity.
To give our daughter a fighting chance to live, to fulfill her dream. Please give us a chance to see our daughter grow.
With deep humility and gratitude…
– Yoshihide and Tamami IgarashiThank you for watching
Thank you for your warm support.
