As a cancer survivor, I want to show others that there is a brighter future

Besides her job as a news reporter, Suzuki Miho is actively involved in developing "maggie's tokyo ", a project that aims to give free practical, emotional and social support to people with cancer and their family and friends. Diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 24, what was supposed to be the prime years of her life suddenly darkened with an uncertain future. In this interview, we follow the background and the journey she has made throughout this ordeal.

Miho Suzuki

Aside from her full-time job as a news broadcaster, she dedicates her time and effort in creating and producing maggie's tokyo, a place aimed to support those afflicted with cancer and those affected.

Superwoman

Born in Tokyo and raised in Yokohama, with a curious personality from a young age, I was always actively involved in hosting school and extracurricular events. Seeing this side of me, out of the blue my 5th grade elementary school teacher suggested "Have you ever watched the news? I think you'd be really good at TV broadcasting." Up until then, my TV viewing usually consisted of soap operas and drama series. But as I started watching the news, I was gradually inspired by the strong, confident personalities of the women reporting live from the scene. To me they were like Superwoman, with their mass of knowledge, and at that moment I knew I wanted to pursue a career in broadcasting.

Due to my parent's job, in the 6th grade our family suddenly relocated to the U.S., specifically Chicago. At the time I could barely speak English, and having enrolled in a local school it was very tough. I went from having a lot of friends to being unable to communicate with anyone, and there were times I would spend alone crying in the bathroom, ashamed to be seen alone. Through these tough times, I continuously told myself that I was going to become a news broadcaster, and in order to accomplish that goal, I would need to improve my English. After a lot of effort and determination I was able to adjust to my new life, just to learn that I would be returning to Japan.

Upon returning to Japan in my 3rd junior high year, after looking through colleges that would be beneficial in pursuing a career in broadcasting. When it came to choosing a high school, I decided to apply to Keio Girls Senior High School. I was drawn to the free-spirited ambiance, and I spent an eventful three years packed with various experiences and events.

With cancer, death is a certainty.

My dreams of becoming a news broadcaster continued, and upon entering Keio University I pursued opportunities that would bring me closer, such as working as an assistant at a TV channel and writing for a fashion magazine. Besides work, I also spent time as a backpacker, traveling through more than 30 countries and observing the various issues and problems occurring throughout the world. I started to realize that the common origin of these problems seemed to be a lack of knowledge and communication, which made me more determined than ever to become a news broadcaster so that I could contribute to solving such global issues. Upon graduating from university, I was fortunately able to get a job at a key network news station in Tokyo, and finally achieve my childhood dream.

My first job was as an assistant director on set, and to be honest it wasn't as glamorous as I thought it would be. Every day I would review footage, spending time watching recordings until late into the night. Even so, I took great pride and joy that the work I was doing was being put to use, and upon becoming a journalist in my second year I felt more invigorated and involved. In the first two years of working I had been too busy to have a social life, but as I got used to my job I was gradually able to involve myself in more social scenes.

However at the age of 24, in a time which I thought would be the best years of my life, I was diagnosed with breast cancer.

No one in my family had any medical history whatsoever with cancer, and the results of my diagnosis came as a complete shock. I remember feeling like I was staring into an abyss. I tried to stay positive, but as the chemotherapy and medical treatments became more aggressive and hard to bear, I slowly started to lose hope. I felt like I was being left behind and alone by those around me, by even my closest friends.

Beyond anything, I was consumed by the fear that with cancer, imminent death was a certainty for me.

All the things I had planned and assumed would be my future, marriage, having children, traveling the world… I felt like everything was slipping out of my hands and reach.

Surviving, living, and learning through this experience

I found it hard to picture a future any longer, and during my hospitalization I would have dreams of walking towards a place I believed to be heaven. That was when I met a woman who ran a salon for cancer patients, herself having been diagnosed with breast cancer nine years ago. She was vibrant and full of sparkle, and as I spent time with her I started to feel like I was saved, and that I also wanted to do the same for others.

Gradually my main thoughts shifted from how I would die, to how I would live and overcome my prognosis. I started to realize that even though I had achieved my childhood dream of becoming a news broadcaster and that I was good at it, I lacked direction, a certain goal. Now, having been diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 24, I felt as though it was my responsibility to help others in society afflicted by cancer. After this realization, I no longer had dreams of heaven and started to gradually recover, both physically and mentally.

All I ever wanted

After 8 months of treatment, I returned to my job, with a new outlook and work ethic. Throughout my experience, I gained a new perspective on cancer and aimed to challenge the common belief in media that cancer was a terminal, and painful disease. Remembering how helpless I felt and the lack of proper information I received when diagnosed, I decided to collaborate with fellow patients and create a free magazine called "STAND UP!!", which aim was to support those who were afflicted with cancer at a young age.

Also after attending the IEEPO (International Experience Exchange For Patient Organizations) in 2013, I was made aware of the fact that Japan, despite its advanced medical technology, lagged behind in public knowledge living with and surviving cancer. At the conference, upon learning I had survived cancer people would congratulate me, giving me a sense of warmth I hadn't felt before. In Japan cancer patients tend to hide their diagnosis from those around them, which after attending the conference I started to believe was wrong and aimed to create a culture in which having cancer wouldn't be something you needed to keep private. That was how I started "Cue!" a workshop aimed at those afflicted with cancer through programs such as yoga. The name came from the initials of the phrase, "Congratulations on your Unique Experience!" which was how I felt after overcame my ordeal.

After attending the 2014 IEEPO and continuing my activities promoting "Cue!", several people contacted me and asked me, "Why not go see Maggie's Centre?". Upon returning to Japan, I researched the name and found it to be a chain of facilities that offered free practical, emotional and social support to people with cancer and their families and friends. The practice was founded by Maggie Keswick Jencks, who lived with advanced cancer for two years. During that time she used her knowledge and experience to create a blueprint for a new type of care, a belief that people should not “lose the joy of living in the fear of dying”. Upon learning about these facilities, I knew that it was everything and more than what I wanted for myself, and without a similar system in Japan I began to work to create such a place.

She survived, and so will I

As my preparations began, I learned that there were others who were also striving to create a Maggie's place in Japan, and I decided to go and talk with them. That person was Akiyama Masako, who had spent five years promoting her cause, and had actually opened a place modeled after Maggie's Centre for three years. Upon learning this, and her determination to make this her life's work, I asked if she would join me creating a Maggie's place in Japan. I felt that with my line of work and team specializing in media along with architecture and art, and her and her personnel's expertise and trust in medical knowledge, we had a real chance at a collaboration. Despite my sudden request she accepted and in May 2014, maggie's tokyo was conceived and started as a serious project. With the help of many others we managed to secure a location and architectural help, and currently we are raising funds through methods such as crowdfunding to open.

Remembering how I felt when I was 24, I wanted to create a place where cancer patients and those afflicted could receive physical, as well as emotional and social support.

At the weakest and darkest stages of my breast cancer, if only there was someone I could confide in, someone I could talk to. Those the feelings and wishes in me to create maggie's tokyo, to found a safe place where cancer patients and their loved ones could talk about their issues and problems. As of now, with thanks to crowdfunding and public donations, we have raised around 70 million yen, and have active plans to open a pilot place in Tokyo's Toyosu district on 10th October in 2016.

Aside from my main work as a news broadcaster, most of my time is involved in maggie's tokyo, with an aim to create a Maggie's Centre that Japan can proud of.

And that whenever someone receives a cancer prognosis, they can say,

"She survived, and so will I."