Society
Thu Sep 1,2016 9:00 am

The Organization of Charity for Atsushi Miyagi is accepting donations to fund Atsushi Miyagi’s heart transplant operation, his only chance to survive a rare intractable disease.

The Organization of Charity for Atsushi Miyagi

The family and friends of Atsushi have formed “Organization of Charity for Atsushi Miyagi” to call for donations to enable Atsushi to undergo a heart transplant operation in the United States to save him from “constrictive cardiomyopathy”, an intractable disease with an incidence of one in 500,000 persons in Japan. The organization’s goal is to raise approximately 140 million yen (US$1.31million) to cover the operation, and the subsequent treatment costs required in the American medical system.

The Organization of Charity for Atsushi Miyagi is accepting donations to fund Atsushi Miyagi’s heart transplant operation in the United States, his only chance to survive a rare intractable disease (incidence of 1: 500,000 in Japan).

▶︎ In August 2016, The family and friends of Atsushi Miyagi have formed “Organization of Charity for Atsushi Miyagi” (Representative: Teruhiko Tabuchi/ Madoka Yanagisawa) to call for donations to enable Atsushi to undergo a heart transplant operation in the United States to save him from “constrictive cardiomyopathy”, an intractable disease with an incidence of one in 500,000 persons in Japan. The organization’s goal is to raise approximately 140 million yen (US$1.31 million) to cover the operation, and the subsequent treatment costs required in the American medical system.

▶︎ Background
Atsushi Miyagi was diagnosed with cardiac abnormality at a very young age. For 40 years, Atsushi has been resilient, living his daily life as normally as possible but avoiding strenuous activities and sports. Despite the countless hospital treatments and rehabilitation programs he endured to try to control his condition, Atsushi was diagnosed with constrictive cardiomyopathy in 2003.
In 2016, his cardiac condition became critical. His doctors concluded that his only option is a heart transplant. In Japan, where the shortage of donors continues to be a social issue, transplant experts told Atsushi that he may have to wait four to five years, at the very least, to find a potential matching donor.
Atsushi is a fighter. He never whines or complains about the hardships he has suffered over the years. After speaking to the doctors, he asked his family, “Please help me. I still want to live.” It was these words that drove his family and friends to organize a campaign to respond to this brave man’s zest for life.

▶︎ His family’s determination

Atsushi is blessed with a very supportive and caring family, including his new bride. Miyuki and Atsushi were married in a heartwarming ceremony held in front of his family, friends, and the doctors and nurses in charge of his medical care.
Miyuki has given Atsushi a reason to live. His firm determination to protect Miyuki as long as he can to repay her for her courageous decision to be his wife, knowing how challenging the foreseeable future is for them, inspired his parents and brothers, who have supported Atsushi from childhood, and his close friends to launch an all-hands fund-raising campaign.

▶︎ Traveling to the United States for heart transplant operation

Although Atsushi’s symptoms require constant attention, his doctors believe that he can endure the long flight across the Pacific and advise him to travel as soon as possible, before his symptoms worsen.
Currently, the organization’s members are actively promoting the fund-raising campaign on weekends mainly in front of train stations close to Atsushi’s home. In addition to calling for street donations, the organization opened new accounts in several financial institutions to accept support from those who opt to donate through bank transfers and credit cards.
The members are now working to extend the campaign overseas as well, in the hope of finding and connecting with like-minded people around the world who know and deeply care about the challenges involved in the fight against intractable diseases.
The organization is asking restaurants and retail shops to support Atsushi by placing fliers and donation collection boxes in their outlets. Individuals who can help raise money or provide other support are invited to join the fight to save Atsushi.

▼CREDITCARD: http://www.atsushi-support.com/english

▼Bank account information:
Mizuho Bank Fujisawa Branch (377) Futsu 4006116 MiyagiAtsushisanoSukuukai
Yokohama Bank Konandai Branch (625) Futsu 6131888 MiyagiAtsushisanoSukuukai
Suruga Bank Konandai Branch (303) Futsu 3547773 MiyagiAtsushisanoSukuukai
Kanagawa Shinkin Bank Fujisawa Eigyobu (043) Futsu 2159931 MiyagiAtsushisanoSukuukai
Japan Post Bank 10920 11551311 MiyagiAtsushisanoSukuukai

▼Donation from overseas:
Beneficiary bank: MIZUHO BANK, LTD.
Bank branch name: Fujisawa Branch
SWIFT code (8 digits): MHCBJPJT
Account #: 377-4006116
BIC code (11 digits): MHCBJPJT377
Account #: 4006116
Beneficiary name: MiyagiAtsushisanoSukuukai

What is constrictive cardiomyopathy?
Constrictive cardiomyopathy is an unexplained heart disease with symptoms that resemble those of cardiac arrest in which the muscles in the cardiac chamber stiffen and inhibit the expansion and contraction of the chamber. It is designated as an intractable disease due to the technical difficulty of implanting an artificial heart in the small space available in the left ventricle. In Japan, it is considered a very rare disease with an estimated prevalence of one in 500,000 persons.

As there are no effective medications for this condition, a heart transplant is the only option. Due to the chronic shortage of donors in Japan, patients suffering from this disease in Japan must consider treatment abroad where they have a better chance of finding a matching donor.
Medical reports indicate that the prognosis of children suffering from this disease turn out to be unsuccessful in many cases. In fact, there are only a handful of patients with this disease who manage to survive into adulthood as Atsushi Miyagi has.

■ Contact Information
Organization of Charity for Atsushi Miyagi
Key contact persons: Teruhiko Tabuchi / Madoka Yanagisawa
Phone: +81-90-5762-7297 (Madoka Yanagisawa)
Address: 471-26-203 Takakura Fujisawa-city, Kanagawa, Japan 252-0802
Mail: atsushi55la@gmail.com
Web: http://www.atsushi-support.com/english
FB: https://www.facebook.com/atsushi55LA/
TW: @atsushi55LA