I want to announce that I have gotten a new job at an education company which runs many colleges and correspondence high schools in Japan. I will be working as a teacher at a high school in Hiroshima from this spring.

To restart a work is very big step for me after leaving the hospital.

In the interview, I told the interviewers about all my situation, DCM, LVAD, ICD, heart transplantation and the risks and complications. I also told them about my passion for education.

I didn’t think I would get this job. I had almost given up.

“Who wants to hire someone like me?”

I know how much responsibility and hard work there is involved in teaching, so wondered how I could do it again with my condition. If something happens to me, I will cause trouble for other people again.

‘I want to challenge myself one more time!”

I had many things that I wanted to do in my life and was chasing them. When I came back from Canada, I was so determined and excited to go onto the next stage. I was going to fly in the sky and would try everything that I wanted.

However, my wings were taken suddenly by this illness. I wanted to push the life reset button and start again. I thought I was out from society, I became a disabled person. I thought I would be frightened and just die with a lot of pain, so I gave up chasing my dreams. I thought I had been thrown away in the ocean or universe, with no landing point. I have no image of my future, and my life plans had disappeared.

However, hope remained. The interviewer was listening very kindly, and, in the end, he told me that; “Our company will need you. Let’s see and find together what you can do with your condition.”

I couldn’t finish saying; “Thank you” and tears came out from eyes. I said to them; “It was very very hard….” I remembered what I had been through with deep emotion.

After the interview, I called the transplant coordinator and told her about it. She was so happy to hear it and told me; “Please be a star of hope for other patients.” It is very difficult to get a job with an LVAD in Japan , because many companies are scared of the risks.

I want to be a star of hope to other patients if I can. I want to light up my surroundings and maybe they can light up their surroundings too.

If there is a light, there is a shadow.

Everybody has shadows following them, but only so that we can dazzle and light the way for other people in our own way.I will never forget today. I couldn’t make it without all help from everybody.

Thank you.