Kai’s Previous News Updates!

April 5, 2007

KAI IS DONE WITH CHEMO! (For now…) Yes, Kai finished his last chemotherapy treatment of February 9, 2007. We cautiously say that he is “done for now.” One of Kai’s doctors (Dr. Van Winkle-a pediatric cancer survivor) explained to us that we need to be very cautious in how we explain the end of chemotherapy to Kai. Although we are very optimistic that he will make a 100% recovery, there is always that chance he may relapse. Therefore, if we tell him that chemotherapy is over and he does relapse, it might devastate him emotionally. It looks like we just have to always be careful about how we “word” things and make sure that we don’t get ahead of ourselves. It’s truly amazing that three years have already gone by. We are still flushing his catheter with saline and heparin each night until his surgery on March 16th to have his catheter removed. Kai is so excited to get his catheter out and is even talking about swimming lessons this summer. No more chemo, no more oral medications and no more catheter! It will be so nice for Kai’s life to be a little more “normal” again and for him to be able to do activities that most of us take for granted. We are so grateful to all our family & friends for all their support over the past 39 months. We could not have made it without everyone! We’re so proud of Kai and we’re so excited that he is done (for now)!

Kai & Gen recently finished their Tinko’s season. What a fun season we had! It’s going to be weird staying home on Saturdays and not going to practices and seeing the rest of the kids. Kai & Gen improved a great deal this season. I’m very proud of Kai, Gen and our entire team. Everyone worked so hard and we could really see the improvements and changes at the end of the year. Special thanks to Norie & Lani for coaching with me and to our Team Mom Shelly Douphner. Kai & Gen were very fortunate to have such great teammates this year: Allyson Rosenblum, Richard Imagawa, Carter Wang, Brycen Nozaki, Gavin Nozaki, Kaden Asamoto, Brandon Mizobe, Trent Douphner & Casey Kuramoto – what an awesome team! It was a great year and I can’t wait till next season!

The boys are now anxiously awaiting t-ball, basketball camp & Nikkei Games. Kai & Gen especially LOVE bowling in Nikkei Games. They have found that it is a sport that they both really enjoy (of course, with the help of the bumpers). Track & Field is always fun, but sometimes it is hot out on the field! It’s hard to believe that our Gen received Gold medals in both the divisions that he participated in last year (100M dash and ball throw)! Kai did great too (3rd place in 100M dash and 5th place in the ball throw) and had fun participating. The boys will also be participating in SEYO T-ball this summer, the VFW Keiki/Kodomo Basketball League and of course, OCO Basketball Camp.

Kai finally had his central line/catheter taken out on March 11th! Kai was so excited to finally have the catheter removed after 39 months! No more flushing his line with heparin and saline and cleaning the site every other day. He is excited to start swimming lessons soon, so we are looking for a swimming class/program to put both Kai & Gen into. It’s so nice to see Kai enjoy his freedom from his central line/catheter! He has been proudly lifting his shirt and showing everyone that he no longer has a “line.” Getting his “line” taken out is probably more exciting than the actual end of chemotherapy for Kai. It sometimes would make me a little sad when Kai would become self-conscious when people would stare at him out of curiosity. He would try to cover himself up more or try to button his shirt all the way to the top so that no one would notice what was under his shirt. It also brings back memories of when people would stare at Kai when he was swollen from his steroids and when he had lost most of his hair. Whenever I see other children going through the same experience, it breaks my heart because our family knows first hand what it feels like to deal with cancer and people who stare and are curious. Thankfully, those days are behind us and I’m just grateful that Kai’s life is somewhat “normal” again and he can worry about everyday “kid” stuff instead of chemotherapy, medications, spinal taps and bone marrow biopsies!

We were recently notified by the Make-A-Wish Foundation that Kai’s wish to go to Disney World has been granted! Since Kai became sick we were unable to travel (strict orders from Dr. Ruki!). The trip to Florida will be the first airplane ride and vacation for all three boys. The trip will most likely be some time in the fall, and we are extremely excited! We are very grateful to the Make-A-Wish Foundation for granting Kai’s wish and for their generosity and kindness. We will keep everyone posted on the trip…

On March 24th we visited our friends at Orange High School to watch a charity basketball game between Key Clubs. It was great fun to visit OHS again! The first time we visited OHS was for their kick off assembly for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s “Pennies in Education” campaign. This is where the students collect donations to help raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Last year OHS raised over $40,000! They are an awesome group of kids and we LOVE visiting them and LOVE their school colors (orange & black)! Thank you to OHS for your hard work and for being so kind to Kai & our family! We look forward to visiting you all again in the future! Kai & Gen’s school is also participating in the “Pennies in Education” fundraiser. Kai & Gen’s pre-Montessori teacher Miss Jamie was instrumental in getting that the fundraiser set-up at the school and has helped to bring great awareness about blood cancers to the kids at school. Miss Jamie and all the wonderful teachers and staff at FVMC have been so wonderfully supportive of Kai and our family. We are so lucky that the kids go to such a FANTASTIC school!

If anyone is interested, we are going to be participating in the annual “Light the Night” Walk for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (Orange County chapter) on September 15th this year at Angel Stadium. If you haven’t had the chance to sign up, you can sign up using this link: http://register.lightthenight.org/LTNRegistration/app

If you would like to join our team, click onto “Join Team” and look up “Team Kai.” If you would like to start your own team, click onto “Become a Team Captain.” (If you need any help, please feel free to contact me and I will be more than happy to help!) If you can join us, we would love to have you at the walk! We are planning on having another “tailgate” party with lots of food, drinks and friends. We are hoping to make it another fun event for everyone! We will have a chance to celebrate Kai being selected as “Boy of the Year” by the Orange County Chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society with everyone, too. What a great way to celebrate the end of chemotherapy!

Thanks for visiting Kai’s website! I promise to write more often…thanks again!

January 22, 2007

Happy New Year!

Gosh, it’s been so long since our last update! So much has happened over the last several months! On September 16th we participated in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night Walk. It was such a great honor for Kai to be one of the honored heroes with Tara Hussey! Our team (TEAM KAI) had over 200 people come out to walk and join us. It was so amazing to have so much support from all our family and friends! We are truly fortunate to have so many wonderful people in our lives! It was a wonderful evening and we hope everyone will come back to join us next year on September 15, 2007 at Angel Stadium again! We would like to give special thanks to all our donors, walkers and supporters! Thanks so much to everyone from OCO, OCO Octagons, OCO Junior Optimists, our teachers and friends from Fountain Valley Montessori, our Pharmacy family & friends from Kaiser Pharmacies in Orange County and Bellflower, and all our FAMILY & FRIENDS! TEAM KAI was the number 4 top fundraising team for the Orange County Light the Night Walk! We raised over $15,000 and this money will all go towards research in helping to find a cure for blood cancers (leukemia & lymphoma). If it wasn’t for the generosity of all our family and friends – Kai would not be the healthy, happy boy he is today. He is living proof that YOU helped to make a difference! I cannot even begin to express how touched we were that so many people took time from their busy schedules to be with us on a Saturday night to honor Kai and all those affected by blood cancers. We are going to make this annual event for our family and hope that you will too!

Kai & Gen started playing Tinko’s in October and are having a great time. Norie and I are lucky to have Lani Okuda coach with us! It has been really fun coaching the kids and watching them develop their skills. We have a great group of kids with wonderful parents. I have really enjoyed getting to know all the great kids and parents on our team, as well as the other teams. OCO has such a wonderful program and I am so grateful that my kids will have the opportunity to grow up playing for such a great organization. I know most people think that OCO is just “basketball,” but there are so many great programs for kids of all ages (Junior Optimists, Octagons, YAO…) and Gary and I are really looking forward to the kids becoming more and more involved.

Kai recently had chemotherapy on January 12th. He had his last spinal tap and we are happy to tell you that next month (February 9th) will be his last treatment! We are so excited that the end is finally here! Kai will continue to get IVIG for 3 months after his last treatment, but will be done with chemotherapy in February. After his last chemotherapy treatment, he will be having surgery to have his catheter removed. It’s hard to imagine that the catheter has been in his chest for over 3 years now. Having the catheter out will help Kai towards moving one step closer to having a “normal” life. Hopefully this summer the boys will all be able to take swimming lessons- something that Kai hasn’t been able to do since he was 2 years old.

In case you haven’t noticed…our holiday cards were VERY late this year! We didn’t forget you we are just LATE! Hope you all received it!


September 1, 2006

Happy Fall!

It’s so hard to believe that summer is over! Kai & Gen had a great time at OCO basketball camp this year. They were fortunate to have FANTASTIC coaches (Coach Marcie and Coach Whitney) and counselors. We are very grateful to everyone for taking such good care of the boys while they were at camp. They are now anxiously awaiting the start of Tinko’s! I will be coaching Tinko’s along with my good friend Norie Nakase. We are looking forward to a very fun season and hope the kids have a great time.

This past summer Kai had the opportunity to participate in the “Chibiko” basketball program at OCBC. It was great way for him to make new friends, learn more about basketball and improve on his skills. We are grateful to all the coaches who helped out with the “green team.” Kai also had a chance to play T-Ball through SEYO over the summer. It was a great introduction for Kai and Coach Wes & Coach Tsuyoshi were GREAT! Kai had so much fun and learned a great deal about baseball. He truly enjoyed his experience and is already talking about playing again next season! All the exercise and activities have been great for Kai and we hope he continues with both sports as he gets older.

Kai & Gen did very well at Nikkei Games this year, too! At Track & Field, Kai received 3rd place in the 50 meter dash and 5th place in the ball throw. Gen came in 1st place in both the 50 meter dash and the ball throw! We were very proud of both boys. Kai & Gen also participated in bowling this year for the first time. They had a great time bowling with their friends Steven Chan and Trent Tsushio. Kai & Gen are still beginners at bowling, but they really love it! During the 3-on-3 basketball event at Nikkei Games, our team “Just for Fun” came in 3rd place! Our team: Shay Douphner, Laura Sato, Kara Gilbert (Kai, Gen & Daigo’s cousin) and Kai. The kids did a great job and it was fun to watch them. We are proud of their performance!

I wanted to let everyone know that we recently got some good news! Gary and I met with the speech therapist and psychologist who evaluated Kai, and they determined that he did not have any neurological damage due to his chemotherapy. WHEW! We were so relieved and so glad to hear that he is going to be just fine. After all that Kai has been through, it was almost too hard to believe that he would have to go through so much more. He will be going to speech therapy, but we are extremely happy to know that there is no permanent damage due to any of his medications. Yeah!

It’s hard to believe, but the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night Walk is quickly approaching! We would like to thank the following GENEROUS donors! Thank you so much for contributing to our Light the Night fundraising campaign and helping us to beat blood cancers!

THANK YOU: GRAMMY & PAPA HASHIMOTO
GRANDPA & GRANDMA FUJITA
JOHN, PRIYA & KIRON MORIOKA
TUAN CAO
THE TSUSHIO FAMILY
DENNIS & LINH KAMIKAWA
THE KINO FAMILY
ALAN & LISA KIYOHARA
BOBBY & ROBIN LEE
MICHAEL LUHM
SUZANNE NAKASHIOYA
CINDY, DAVID & NICHOLAS ODEGARD
HEATHER & PETER PHAM
STACIE & JESSE REYES
AMY SHIMADA
KARLA & NED SILVER
JUDY VALENZUELA


And special thanks to members of TEAM KAI who have been fundraising:
THE CHAN FAMILY (Wallace, Ellen, Kyle, Michael & Steven)
ZULAIKHA BROSDAL
JOANN LAM


Remember! It’s not too late to sign up for the walk! It’s September 16th at Angel Stadium. Please feel free to contact me if you would like to join us!

July 26, 2006

Happy Summer!
We’ve been trying to stay cool, but with this heat – it’s been really difficult! Kai will be playing his last T-Ball and Chibiko Basketball games this weekend. It has been a great experience for Kai and he has learned a lot with the help of all his great coaches. Kai has been really busy with both sports and his Tae Kwon Do lessons on Saturdays. Gen is taking Tae Kwon Do with Kai, but was too young to play T-Ball or Chibiko Basketball this year and has to watch from the sidelines with Daigo. It’s hard to believe that one day all 3 boys will be playing sports together!

Recently, we were told that Kai might have neurological damage due to his chemotherapy medications. This was very disturbing news for our family and Kai will be having more tests done to see if there is any damage. This is very difficult news for me to share, but I feel it is important for anyone else going through the same situation to know that this is a possible (but often unlikely) side effect of chemotherapy. I think the news has hit me very hard because it came as a shock and was not something that I imagined possible. We know that Kai is a little “behind” his classmates, due to the fact that he was out of school for over a year. We have watched him make great progress socially and academically and we are so very proud of him. If Kai does indeed have neurological damage, we will get him all the help we can and support him in any and all ways possible. I will keep everyone updated on his progress and hopefully we will have good news very soon!

It’s hard to believe, but the “Light the Night” walk is less than two months away! We want to thank all our OCO Octagon friends for forming a team to join us at the walk! We are so excited that they will be joining us and want to thank everyone for all their support! Special thanks to Octagon Advisor Bob Kubo for his support and leadership! If you haven’t had a chance to sign up for the walk, please feel free to contact me and I would love to sign you up! We are looking forward to seeing everyone and are excited to have so much love and support from all our family & friends!

Kai & Gen will be going to the OCO basketball camp in a few weeks! They are very excited and can’t wait to start playing! I would like to thank all the camp counselors in advance for their time, dedication and patience. Hopefully Kai & Gen won’t be too wild when they get to camp! After camp is Nikkei Games, and this year Kai & Gen will both be participating in Track & Field and Bowling. Kai will be playing in the 3-on-3 basketball tournament with his cousin Kara and his friends Shay Douphner and Laura Sato. Our team name is “Just for Fun” and Kai’s Auntie Norie is helping to coach the team. This is the first year that the kids are participating in the basketball part of Nikkei Games, and hopefully they will just have a fun time!

Kai has chemotherapy this Friday and hopefully, everything will go smoothly. Kai was actually hospitalized at the beginning of the month with a virus, but he is doing much better now. He missed the first few days of his new class, which he started at the beginning of July. Kai has moved into Ms. Paula’s room (Kindergarten room) and is doing great! Ms. Paula has been working with Kai to get him ready for Kindergarten in the fall, and we are so grateful to Ms. Paula for her hard work, love and support of Kai. Kai is so lucky to have such a wonderful teacher and we know he will do continue to thrive and do well in Ms. Paula’s class.

Thank you again for visiting Kai’s website. We will have a new update very shortly! Have a great day!

June 12, 2006

This past weekend was a little busy for us. Saturday was Kai’s first T-Ball game, and he seemed to have a great time! Kai is on the “Mudcats” and he has a great team! All the kids and their families are very nice and the coaches are VERY patient and nice! Coach WES and Coach TSUYOSHI have been great, and we appreciate all the help that they are giving Kai. We also want to give special thanks to Coach Diana (coach Tsuyoshi’s wife, Corey & Casey’s mom). She has been a huge help and always take extra time to help Kai. We truly, truly appreciate everyone’s help!

On Sunday, we skipped basketball and attended a party held by the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation (PCRF) and the American Cancer Society (ACS). It was held at Hidden Valley in Irvine (formerly Lion Country Safari). It was a great party and the kids had a fantastic time. It was nice to have a fun family day and be around other families and kids who are battling cancer, too. We are grateful to both PCRF and the ACS for hosting us and treating the kids to lots of great food, goodies, rides and entertainment!

May 24, 2006

Happy Memorial Day!

Well, this has been a very good month! We were so happy to learn that our good friend Nancy Sakakura (http://nancysakakura.blogspot.com/) finally found a match to get her bone marrow transplant! Our family was excited to hear the good news and hope that you will all keep Nancy and her family in your thoughts. She and her family are going through a lot right now, but she is so strong and we know that she will do great and make a full recovery! We look forward to seeing Nancy when she’s finally out of the hospital!

Kai’s treatments have been going very well. He had a spinal tap at the beginning of the month and he got through it like a trooper! I know that is one procedure that none of us will miss when his treatments are over. He has been feeling really great lately and fortunately, treatments have not slowed him down! Kai and Gen attend Tae Kwon Do classes twice a week and Kai recently started the Chibiko basketball program at OCBC. His experience in the OCO Tinko’s program has helped him tremendously! He really loves basketball and is having a great time. By the time he starts Pee-Wee’s, treatments will be over and his catheter will be out. That will probably make playing basketball much more comfortable for him, too. In a few weeks, Kai will start playing T-Ball. He enjoys going to baseball games, so hopefully he will enjoy playing baseball too!

In August, Nikkei Games (www.nikkeigames.org) will be starting! Hope everyone has signed up! Kai & Gen will be participating in bowling & track & field. Kai will be playing in the three-on-three kids basketball tournament with his cousin Kara and a couple of friends. It will be fun to see the kids play together! Gary & I (along with the wonderful Orange County Queen’s Council!) will be helping to feed all those fantastic volunteers who help make Nikkei Games such a huge success!

If you haven’t already done so, we hope that you’ll sign up to join us at the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s annual Light the Night Walk at Angel Stadium on September 16, 2006 (Saturday). You can register at this website: TEAM KAI's LIGHT THE NIGHT WALK When you get to the website, look on the right side where it says “Register to Walk.” You can either look up our team by name (TEAM KAI) or by team captain name (Staci Fujita). It should be a fun night with activities and food and of course- the Walk! Please let us know if you have any questions.

April 5, 2006

Happy April!

It's hard to believe that it's already Spring time! Kai has been doing very well with his chemotherapy. We are still counting down the months! 10 more months to go! We are really looking forward to February 2007 (the last treatment). Kai finished Tinko's basketball in February and he really enjoyed playing basketball. Gary and I are trying to help him understand that you cannot make a basket every time you shoot. I guess his type A personality comes out when he plays. He always wants the ball to go into the hoop, but we explained that that isn't always possible. No one makes all their shots 100% of the time- something we are still trying to make him understand. Kai will have recently had another belt testing for Tae Kwon Do and he received a star on his white stripe belt. This month, both boys started Saturday classes for Tae Kwon Do and they seem to really enjoy the exercise and fun! Hopefully they will learn more discipline, respect and self-control! We have seen a positive change in both the boys so far, and are very pleased with their results.

Gen recently switched classrooms at school. He graduated from Miss Jamie's class and is now in Miss Jenn's class. I can hardly believe our little Gen is growing up so quickly. Gen really loved going to basketball practices with Kai, and we can hardly wait till he can play Tinko's basketball, too. He loves all sports and does everything with so much enthusiasm. Only two more years till he's ready…

Daigo has been getting bigger and bigger! His first tooth is starting to poke through the top of his mouth. He is such a happy baby, and he really enjoys watching Kai & Gen play. He gets so excited watching them and I know he can hardly wait till he can run around with them. Daigo has begun crawling (backwards) and moving around. It's hard to believe that he is growing up so fast. Time really does fly by.

Gary and I were asked to join the planning committee for the Orange County Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's “Light the Night” Walk this year in Anaheim. We are looking forward to the walk, which will be on September 16 at Angel Stadium. We have set up Kai's website for the walk

On the website, you can join our team by clicking on “Register to Walk,” then “Join Team,” then select Anaheim, CA as the walksite, and select TEAM KAI as the team to join! It's that easy! (Feel free to contact me if you have any questions)

Also, Kai is featured on the “Light the Night Walk” website

As one of the “Honored Heroes” for the walk, they have him featured with his picture and a small article. We were really touched that the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society wanted to feature Kai. It really is a HUGE honor for us!

We hope you will come out and join us for the walk! It should be lots of fun! We are going to have a “tailgate” party and there should be lots of food and activities. We would really appreciate it if our friends and family would go to our website (TEAM KAI) and sign up to be walkers. We would like to have a big group represented when they call out TEAM KAI to line up and start walking. It's a really exciting and fun night and we hope everyone can be a part of this special night. If you have any questions about the walk or signing up, please feel free to contact us. We really hope you'll be able to join us!

Thanks for taking the time to check out our website and our updates. Best wishes for a wonderful 2006 and please keep in touch! We'd love to hear from you.

January 1, 2006

Hello and Happy New Year!

It’s so hard to believe that it’s already 2006. We’re very excited because this Kai’s last full year of chemotherapy. He’ll be done with chemotherapy in February 2007. We can’t wait! Kai, Gen & Daigo had a great Christmas with lots of presents, but all three were sick over the holidays. Everyone seems to be feeling better, and hopefully it will stay that way.

Thank you again to everyone who helped make Kai’s “Light the Night Walk” with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society such a huge success! We raised over $2,000 and had many wonderful family & friends join us for the walk around Angel Stadium. Lisa Truong from the Orange County Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society contacted us, and asked if Kai would like to be one of the “Honored Heroes” for next year’s “Light the Night” Walk. We are so honored that Kai will be recognized at the walk and be included in promotional and print materials for the walk. The walk will be held on September 16, 2006 – so please mark your calendars! Our team is “Kai’s Team,” and we hope to get even more family & friends to join us! I will post more information as it becomes available.

Kai & Gen will be going back to school on the 3rd. Kai has been doing very well in class and recently received a stripe on his white belt for Tae Kwon Do. Kai did not cooperate during the first belt promotion test that his teacher gave. Master Kwon was kind enough to let Kai test again and he passed! We hope that Gen will be asked to take his test soon, too. He likes Kai’s new belt, but we told him that he has to pass his test before he can have one, too. Kai has a two week break from basketball, but he seems to be enjoying it. He is still learning the basic concepts and practices when he can. Coach Christine and Coach Alan are both so patient, and we really appreciate all their help. The exercise has been great for Kai and we hope he keeps trying his best. Gen wants to play basketball very badly, but we keep telling him that he has to wait two more years. He loves to practice with Kai, so we think he’ll be ready when he’s finally five years old.

January 31, 2006

On January 28th, we were invited to the Mission Viejo Elks Lodge who hosted a party for OCF-OCF (Orange County Foundation for Oncology Children & Families). It was a wonderful party with lots of games, a bounce house, corn dogs, French fries, cotton candy, toys/prizes – the WORKS! All the members of the Elks Lodge and their volunteers were so friendly and hospitable. We had a fantastic time and truly appreciate their hospitality. Kai & Gen came home with so many neat toys and prizes, and they had a great time in the neat bounce house. Special thanks to the Mission Viejo Saddleback Valley Lodge 2444 for helping the boys feel so special and for hosting such an AWESOME party! We truly appreciate it!

Gen recently went for his Tae Kwon Do belt testing, too. He did a great job and achieved a stripe in his white belt- just like Kai! We are very proud of Gen for a job well done! Kai & Daigo were there to cheer on Gen during his testing, too. In March, Kai & Gen will start attending classes at Sun Rise Tae Kwon Do on Saturdays. Master Kwon teaches the boys respect and discipline, and we already notice the difference. Tae Kwon Do has definitely been a positive influence on the kids!

Kai’s next round of chemotherapy will be on Friday, February 10th. He will also be getting a spinal tap. I’m sure things will be just fine, but we will keep you up to date.

Happy Fall!

Kai has been doing very well since our last update. Each month at chemotherapy, he has been getting IVIG to help boost his immune system and keep him strong and healthy! We are still making the monthly visits to the chemotherapy clinic. We’re so grateful that it’s only once a month and not every week (like last year). If all goes well, we’ll be all done in February of 2007! We can hardly wait…

The fall session of pre-school started for Kai & Gen right after Labor Day. Kai is still in Miss Brandy’s room and Gen is still with Miss Jamie & Miss Kristen. Both the boys are so fortunate to have such great teachers. It’s great seeing them grow and learn new things everyday. School has been challenging for both boys, but it is definitely making them stronger

This past Saturday (September 10, 2005) was the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s annual “Light the Night Walk” in Anaheim at Angel Stadium. It was our first time participating in the walk. We want to thank the people who came out to support us and participate in the walk. Special thanks to: Auntie Karen & cousin Michael (Kino), Auntie Rumi & Uncle Ray (Nakatani), Katelyn Sasaki, Auntie Hiroko (Endo), Uncle Jon & Auntie Sandra (Nakagawa), Grammy & Papa Hashimoto and Gary’s co-workers: Darcy Kubichka, Susan Bellone & Leticia Salazar. Thanks so much for coming out to support Kai!
The walk was really fun! We had a chance to “tailgate” before the walk and enjoy the different booths and festivities that were going on before starting. We hope to make this an annual event for our family and hope more people will come out to walk with us next year. Kai did a great job- he walked the entire route (approximately 2 miles) while Uncle Jon & Auntie Sandra proudly displayed the banner for his team – which was appropriately named “KAI’S TEAM.” It was neat to see all the walkers with their illuminated balloons in support of their teams, loved ones and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. It was a very fun & special night for our family. Thanks again to all those who came out and helped to make it memorable and special for Kai and our entire family.

We would like to also give special thanks to all those who donated to our “Light the Night” campaign! Special thanks to the following people who helped us raise over $2,000!

Uncle David Doi
Auntie Sanaye Doi
Auntie Gena Doi-Nguyen
Auntie Dana Doi-Rollolazo
Auntie Hiroko Endo
Grandpa & Grandma Fujita
Uncle Chik & Auntie Judi Furuta
Uncle Chris, Auntie Diane, Kara & Ryan Gilbert
Auntie Kristie & Uncle Dondi Godfrey
Grammy & Papa Hashimoto
Uncle Troy Hashimoto
Uncle Ross & Auntie Natalie Ito
Uncle Bill Ito
Auntie Karen & Uncle Stan Kino
Darcy Kubichka
Auntie Melinda Manchester
Sharon Minato
Eunice Morita
Uncle Ray & Auntie Suzanne Nagami
Uncle Jon & Auntie Sandra Nakagawa
Auntie Kathleen & Uncle Loi Siliuta
Ken Tanisaka
Glen & Cindy Yamane
*If I have accidentally omitted anyone’s name…I apologize!

On Sunday, September 18th, Kai will be signing up for basketball! He can hardly wait, too. We think it’s going to be a great way for him to get exercise and work off all that extra energy that he has! Since his favorite color is orange- OCO is the obvious perfect place for Kai. Last month Kai & Gen had an opportunity to see a lot of the big kids play basketball at Nikkei Games. They loved being around all the older boys & girls from OCO who are so wonderfully kind and generous with their time. Gary & I really appreciate all the big kids taking time to play and watch Kai & Gen while we were busy serving volunteers and making sure that there was enough food for everyone. We are very grateful to be a part of OCO!

Kai & Gen also participated in the Nikkei Games Track & Field this year. Kai was doing great in his race, but became a little flustered and upset when he saw he wasn’t going to come in first place. If he would have finished, he would have easily come in second place. But, instead of finishing the race, Kai crossed his arms and stopped and walked off the track. Needless to say, we were very disappointed with him, and emphasized the importance of finishing and not quitting. Hopefully he’ll learn more about not quitting while playing basketball. Gen did great in his race- he came in third place and received the Bronze medal. Gary participated in the annual Nikkei Games Golf Tournament and did well enough to receive the Bronze medal for his age group. Way to go boys!

Last but not least, things with my pregnancy are going well. The baby is due in a few weeks, and we recently received our “cord blood kit” in the mail to save the baby’s cord blood for Kai. We are excited to know that the baby’s cord blood will be there for Kai in the future…just in case he ever needs it (but hopefully he won’t!). Kai & Gen are very excited that they have a baby brother on the way, and keep asking when he’s going to be here. My due date is October 5th, so we’ll keep you posted and let you know when he arrives.

Thank you again for visiting our website and for your continued support of Kai and our family! Don’t forget to check out the A3M Website to see how you can sign up to be a potential bone marrow donor. Thanks again and we’ll be back soon with another update!

October 26, 2005

Happy Halloween!

Well, October has been a busy month for our family. Kai & Gen's baby brother, Daigo Harunobu Fujita, was born on October 9, 2005 at 11:12 pm. Daigo was 8 lbs., 1 oz. And 21 inches long. Fortunately, his delivery was very easy! We were able to save his cord blood for Kai for future use - just in case Kai should ever need it. We can't wait to tell the baby that he was able to give his big brother Kai a very special gift. A few days prior to Daigo's birth was Gen's 3rd birthday (October 5th). We had a very small gathering at Chuck E. Cheese where Kai & Gen played games, rode a few "little kid rides," and ate pizza. It was very small, but lots of fun for the boys. We think that Gen had a great time.

Kai had a round of chemotherapy on October 19th. Everything seemed to go well. He is having the usual pain in his ears, legs and jaw. We've been told that he is experiencing neuropathy and this is caused by the accumulation of Vincristine. Vincristine (a chemotherapy medicine) accumulates in his body, and he has been getting this drug since he started chemotherapy. It wasn't until recently that Kai started experiencing pain and discomfort with this drug. Sometimes the pain is so excruciating for him we have to give him Tylenol with codeine. I know it can be terribly painful for him, so I am so proud of him for being so strong. We had a little bit of a scare last month when the doctor thought that Kai's testicle was enlarged. This could have meant that the cancer had spread to Kai's testicles and he would have needed radiation treatment. But, upon further examination and an ultrasound, they determined that it was just excess fluid. Although the doctor did not seem to worried when she had Kai tested and examined, I felt the same shock and panic that I felt when Kai was first diagnosed with leukemia. It was a definite reminder that I cannot take Kai's health for granted- not even for one moment. Although he looks great from the outside, there is so much going on inside his little body. I was reminded that I can't take anything for granted. Kai had a hernia surgery in July 2003, and they determined that the excess fluid in his testicle is probably related to the hernia surgery. Basically, it was very good news and we need not worry. Whew!

Kai went to his first Tinkos practice last month, but it was very difficult for him. He was on steroids the week that he started, so he wasn't feeling very good and was quite moody. He was looking very forward to playing basketball, but when we actually got to the gym, he felt very shy and nervous. I know the steroids played a big part in his shyness and moodiness, so we tried to help him along. It was very difficult getting him to play, since he was so "grumpy," but he eventually tried and was enjoying himself. He has missed a few practices because (1) his baby brother was born one weekend and (2) Daddy had to go to traffic school another weekend. We thought it might not be good for us to continue since he missed so much practice, but Coach Wallace Chan encouraged us to keep him in the program and to continue with the basketball "homework." We really appreciate Coach Wallace's input and encouragement! We were getting a little discouraged! I'm sure everything will start to get easier and more "normal" for Kai in the next few years. Till then, we just need to be patient and let him go at his own pace. On a side note, Gen is so anxious to play basketball. He is always practicing at home and is extremely excited to play Tinkos one day!

Kai & Gen are very excited for Halloween this year. They are both going to be Power Rangers (again!). But, at least we have different costumes for them this year (Thank You, Shirely Fong! The boys love their costumes and the neat guns!). They have already tried on their costumes- numerous times and love to play in them (there are pictures of them posted on this website). Both boys want to go trick-or-treating, but I'm sure when they see a kid walking down the street with a "Scream" mask on in a black sheet, they'll probably run back home. I guess Halloween is still a bit scary for them! Daigo will be a Pumpkin for Halloween, and we'll be sure to post pictures of all the kids after Halloween.

As many of you know, we are members of the Orange Coast Optimist Club. We would like to invite you all to play/participate in OCO's annual Golf Tournament, which will be held on December 12, 2005 (Kai's birthday!) at the Mesa Verde Country Club in Costa Mesa. OCO is a fantastic organization and this year all the proceeds from the golf tournament will be going to A3M (Asians for Miracle Marrow Matches). Please visit OCO's website at www.ocoyouth.org for more information and sign up. It is a fun tournament and it is for a great cause! If you have any questions, you can contact Glenn Tanaka (949) 653-2100, or give us a call and we'll try to answer any questions that you might have. Our friends at A3M do such fantastic work, and we would like to support them in any way we can. Hope you can join us!

Thank you again for visiting our website! Kai is so lucky to have so many people who care and support him. We're grateful that his chemotherapy is going well, and that he is in good health. I'll be home on maternity leave till the end of November- then it's back to work! I'm enjoying my time with Daigo, and can't wait for everyone to meet him. Have a Happy and safe Halloween and please keep in touch!

Please remember to visit the A3M website if you need information about registering to become a committed bone marrow donor. Our friend Nancy is looking for that special person who will be her perfect match for a bone marrow transplant. Please email us if you would like to contact us: thefujitas@aol.com. Thanks!

June 24, 2005

Hello and Happy June!

It’s so hard to believe that summer is already here. Kai and Gen will both be attending the summer session of school this year. We would love to go on a family trip, but unfortunately, Kai is not allowed to do any long distance traveling till he’s done with chemotherapy (February 2007- yeah!). We will probably take the boys to the local amusement parks and the Orange County Fair in July…but, no long distance trips!

The end of May and beginning of June was a little difficult for Kai. He came down with pneumonia right before the Memorial Day weekend holiday, and was hospitalized for 5 days. It was a little bit of a scare at the time, but he seems to have fully recovered. We are so grateful for every day that he is healthy and feels good. We definitely have to take things “day by day,” but so far so good this month!

Next month Kai will be changing classrooms at school. He’s been promoted! Due to chemotherapy and being absent from school for a year, we had to start him off slowly in school and gradually ease him back into things. He’ll be moving to Miss Brandy’s classroom, and Gen will be in Miss Jamie & Miss Kristen’s room. It’s very exciting to see Kai progress and do so well in school. Kai and Gen will be starting gymnastics at school soon, too. Their class will be once a week for half an hour, but we feel it would be great exercise for them and lots of fun. We’re really excited for Kai to start playing basketball. He seems to be excited, too! Tinko’s will be a great experience for him. It’ll be a great way for him to pick up the best game in the world, and make new friends! We didn’t realize it till now, but being out of school for a year was very difficult for Kai. Not seeing other children and his friends was very lonely for him. But, being the resilient child that he is, he is making the best of his situation and trying his best to make new friends at school or wherever he goes.

I hope some of you will be able to join our team for the “Light the Night Walk” on September 10, 2005 (Saturday) at Angel Stadium. You can join our team by clicking onto the following link:

http:\\www.active.com/donate/
fundraise_public.cfm?key=keyitnSFujita

On the left side it’ll say “Register to Walk,” and you just follow the directions. When you get to the section where it asks you to “join a team,” click on “Kai’s Team” and you’ll be a part of our group! If you can make the walk, we’d love to have you join us for some exercise and good company! We’re also trying to raise money and awareness for Leukemia and Lymphoma research and education. We’re selling Leukemia & Lymphoma awareness bracelets (for $1.00/each), and if you would like to purchase a bracelet or donate to our “Light the Night” fundraising walk, please contact us.

We have some wonderfully generous and kind friends and family who have already donated to our “Light the Night” fundraising website, and we would like to thank them on our website:

SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL OF OUR WONDERFUL DONORS!
UNCLE DAVID DOI - $100.00
AUNTIE SANAYE DOI - $100.00
AUNTIE DANA DOI-ROLLOLAZO - $50.00
AUNTIE GENA DOI-NGUYEN - $50.00
GRAMMY (JEANNIE HASHIMOTO) - $100.00
UNCLE TROY HASHIMOTO - $100.00
AUNTIE KAREN KINO - $100.00
AUNTIE MELINDA MANCHESTER - $250.00
SHARON MINATO - $25.00
ANONYMOUS - $100.00
ANONYMOUS - $100.00
ANONYMOUS - $100.00

Thank you so much for your kindness and generosity! Your donations will help to raise awareness, find cures and help improve the quality of life for all those affected by Leukemia & Lymphoma. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Thank you for visiting Kai’s website…we’ll have another update shortly!

May 17, 2005

Hello!

I’m sorry it’s been so long since our last update!  We’ve been really busy!  Kai started school again in January, and is doing great!  At the beginning of April, Gen started school with Kai.  They are i’s company.  I was a bit hesitant to let them bn the same room at school and enjoying each othere in the same class, but the teachers told me that the boys are great and that they are very independent of each other.  So far so good!  Last month, when Kai was responsible for bringing snacks to school, he brought mini-bagels and cream cheese, and DELICIOUS strawberries from Uncle Glenn’s (Tanaka Farms 5336 University Drive, Irvine, CA 92612, (949) 653-2100, Email: glenn@tanakafarms.com) farm.  The strawberries were so yummy, and the class at them ALL!  (Thank you so much, Uncle Glenn!)  Kai also brought his dolphin stuffed animal to share with the class.  It was a fun experience for him.  This month, Kai took in his octopus stuffed animal to share, and Gen brought in his dolphin stuffed animal.  They really enjoy sea animals!

Kai has been going to chemotherapy once a month.  Over the past several months, he has been hospitalized several times for a stomach virus and some other types of viruses, but seems to be doing much better now.  Next week he has chemotherapy, and will be getting a spinal tap.  The worst days in the clinic are when he has to get the spinal tap and/or a bone marrow biopsy.  They’re very painful, but somehow, he always gets through it.  We are so proud of Kai!

On May 15, 2005 (Sunday), we attended the PCRF (Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation) 10K/5K/1K Run/Walk.  Gary signed up for the 10K Run, and Kai, Gen and I signed up for the 1K Walk.  There were so many neat booths and vendors for the kids!  We had a great time meeting people and participating in the activities.  By the time our 1K was starting, we were ready to go home!  The boys had a great time, and we’ll definitely be back next year to participate and help raise awareness and funds for pediatric cancer research.  Much of the money that PCRF raises helps fund research done by our good friend, Dr. Mitch Cairo.  We will also be participating in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s “Light the Night Walk” in September.  You can check out our information and fundraising website at:

http:\\www.active.com/donate/
ltnSanta/ltnSFujita

Kai will be playing Tinkos basketball this year for OCO.  We can hardly wait!  It will be a great way for him to get out his energy and meet new friends.  He’s recently told us that his favorite color is orange, too!  What a coincidence!  He’s definitely ready to play with OCO!

We have one more thing to report… Staci is pregnant with baby number 3!  We recently found out that the baby is a boy, and his due date is October 5^th (yes, same day as Gen’s birthday!).  Kai & Gen are very excited about their baby brother.  Kai has told us many times that he didn’t want a sister, and it looks like he got his wish!

Have a great month, and we’ll be back very soon!  Thanks again for visiting!

December 16, 2004
Hello & Happy Holidays!

Kai started his maintenance phase of chemotherapy, and will be going in once a month for treatments and check-ups (instead of every week). We are so happy and excited that we’ve made it through the year. It’s hard to believe that it’s been exactly one year since his initial diagnosis. It’s been a very tough year for Kai, but he made it through with flying colors! We’re so proud of him for being so brave and so strong.

We’re all recovering from a very busy weekend! Auntie Michelle & Uncle John were married on Saturday, December 11th and Kai was the ring bearer. It was a very beautiful and fun wedding! Gen danced the whole day away on the dance floor- by himself! We were all amazed that he loves dancing so much. Kai is a little shy and didn’t dance as much as Gen, but he had an excellent time. It was an absolute blast and we all enjoyed ourselves! We got to stay over at the hotel, courtesy of Uncle Bobby & Auntie Hiroko. Uncle Bobby, Auntie Hiroko, Auntie Steph & Auntie Michelle did such a wonderful job on the wedding- it was so great! It’s so hard to believe that Auntie Michelle and Uncle John are married! Time goes by so fast! They will be moving to Okinawa (where Uncle John is stationed), but hopefully they will come back for many visits!

Kai’s birthday was on Sunday (December 12th) and we celebrated by going to Disneyland for a couple of days. Wishland (thank you to Laurie & Stacy!) helped get us a neat room at the Residence Inn and we got to stay a couple of days. Kai & Gen had so much fun playing in the hotel room (jumping up and down on the beds) and really enjoyed their two days at Disneyland. It was a very nice way to celebrate Kai’s birthday and the end of the first year of chemotherapy! The boys really enjoyed riding on the Winnie the Pooh ride and Autopia. They also liked the Haunted House, because it was decorated like “the Nightmare Before Christmas,” which is one of their favorite movies. At California Adventure, they loved going into “A Bug’s Land” and riding the little kid rides.

Since Kai is doing so well, Dr. Ruki said that Kai can start school again next month. Kai is very lucky, because he will be back in the same room with Miss Jamie. It’ll be great for him to get back to his normal routine, and great for him to see all his friends.

Thank you for visiting Kai’s website! We hope you have a wonderful Holiday Season! Please remember to visit the A3M website if you need information about registering to become a committed bone marrow donor. Our friend Nancy is looking for that special person who will be her perfect match for a bone marrow transplant. Please email us if you would like to contact us: thefujitas@aol.com. Thanks!

November 24, 2004
Happy Thanksgiving!
Kai is doing great! He has completed his last delayed intensification phase, and will start his maintenance phase once his ANC goes back up to 1,000+. Last Friday, Kai, Gen and I went to the Long Beach Aquarium and Adventure City. Our friends at the Wishland Organization (thank you, Stacy Smith!) gave us tickets so we could go see all the neat animals at the Aquarium. Kai & Gen really enjoyed all the animals, but they especially enjoyed the sea lions and watching the scuba divers swim with the animals. We had a great time! Since we finished a little early, I thought it would be fun to take the boys to Adventure City to have lunch and go on some rides. It was great to see the boys having so much fun on the police cars and fire trucks, trains and even the racecars in the arcade. It was very special for Kai, because he hadn't been out in so long! It was wonderful for him to be out and be "normal" again! Today is Kai's great-grandfather Noboru's birthday. Although he didn't have the opportunity to live long enough to meet Kai and Gen, we know he'd be very proud of both boys. Kai's middle name is Noboru, and we definitely feel his strong spirit living through Kai.
There are some upcoming events we'd like share with all of our friends:

• December 5th (Sunday): There will be a Bone Marrow Donor Drive at Rancho Alamitos High School in Garden Grove from 12:00pm-6:00pm.
• December 6th (Monday): OCO will be holding it's annual Golf Tournament at the Newport Beach Country Club. Cost is $200/person, and all proceeds from the golf tournament will benefit Asians for Miracle Marrow Matches (A3M).
• We are collecting "pop tabs" from soda cans. We are collecting these to donate to the Ronald McDonald House in Orange County. Approximately 12 pounds of pop tabs will cover a family's $5.00 room fee for a one night stay. The Ronald McDonald House is a "home-away-from-home" for families of infants and children who are receiving medical treatment for cancer and other serious illnesses at all the area medical facilities in Orange County. It is open to families of those children who are hospitalized and to those with children who are receiving treatment as outpatients. If you could collect your pop tabs from your soda cans and save them for us, we would greatly appreciate it! Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

Thanks again for visiting our website. We hope you all have a wonderful and Happy Thanksgiving!

November 3, 2004
Hello and Happy November!
This year has gone by so fast, and we are so grateful! Halloween came and went so quickly! Kai and Gen were Power Rangers for Halloween this year (Kai was the Red Ranger and Gen was the Blue Ranger). They are both a little afraid, so they didn’t actually go out and trick or treat, but they did have fun wearing their costumes around the house. Kai did a little trick or treating at the Kaiser Hospital in Anaheim. He got all kinds of goodies and treats from all the different departments. Grammy and Auntie Hiroko took Kai on Friday, October 29th, and he had a great time. Kai is halfway through his last delayed intensification phase! We are so excited and looking forward to all the “tough” chemotherapy being over. We were delayed for about a month, due to Kai’s blood counts being low- but on Tuesday, November 2nd, we were back on track. It’s been such a long and difficult process, but he has done great. Just four more weeks and then he’ll be in his maintenance phase of chemotherapy! Yeah! Less doctor and clinic visits (not that we don’t love seeing Dr. Ruki, Mary, Marta, Edna and Dawn!). Kai will be going to daycare till he starts school again. We are very lucky that Stacy (Gen’s daycare provider) has made room for Kai. Stacy and her family (husband- Mark, Lauren & Josh) have been so wonderful and supportive, and we are so grateful to have them in our lives! Kai is so lucky to be so loved! I also spoke to Kai’s teacher, Miss Jamie, and she’s doing great. Kai can’t wait to start school and see Miss Jamie and Miss Kristen. He really loves school and misses his friends. Miss Jamie recently got married, so I guess we should start calling her Mrs. Jamie! We have two new additions in our family. We adopted two baby desert tortoises this weekend from a nice family in Long Beach. The babies are two months old and Kai has started to call them “Number 1 & Number 2.” I told him that we can work on the names later. I’m going to have to take pictures and post them on our website for everyone to see.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our family and friends at the Orange County Buddhist Church for their generous blood donations to Kai. The donations have made such a difference in Kai’s treatment, and it is such a comfort knowing that he is receiving blood from family and friends. Thank you all so much for thinking of Kai and giving him the gift of life! He is doing well and is on the way to a full recovery- thanks to your help. We cannot thank you enough for all your kindness!
Lastly, please remember to register to be a committed bone marrow donor (if you haven’t already done so). We want to help our friends NANCY SAKAKURA & JACK FUJISHIGE and all those who are seeking bone marrow donors.
Thank you so much for taking the time to visit Kai’s website. Please send us an email- we’d love to hear from you!

October 7, 2004
Happy October!
Kai is still in his Second Delayed Intensification phase. His ANC count must be 1,000+ for him to continue at this point, but it was only 260 on Tuesday when we went to the doctor. The good news is that they “expect” his counts to be low, because the chemotherapy is working. He will probably start again next Tuesday or the following week. Although his counts are low, Dr. Ruki approved a trip to Disneyland on Gen’s 2nd birthday (October 5th)! It was a very fun day for all of us. Gen was a little grumpy, but Kai was very happy to be out of the house and back at his favorite place. It was a great day for all of us- except for the frequent staring that Kai would get. He is losing his hair (due to chemotherapy) and his face is a little puffy (from steroids), so he would some stares. It really didn’t bother too much, until it started to bother Kai. He knew people and children were staring, and it made him very self-conscious. As a parent, that is the one thing that really hurts. You want to protect your children as much as possible, but you can never protect them from getting their feelings hurt. Gary and I always try to reassure him that he’s positively cute and that there is nothing wrong with him, but he is very sensitive and doesn’t like being made to feel he is different. Hopefully, he’ll grow up to be a strong person from this experience.

September 08, 2004
Good news! Kai finally started his chemotherapy! He started his second and last “Delayed Intensification” phase. It was a long and difficult day for Kai, but he did great. Kai’s chemotherapy was delayed for one month, but finally we are back on track. This phase of chemotherapy will last for approximately 8 weeks, but will probably be longer. If his blood counts go down during this time, we will have to postpone chemotherapy again, but at least we’ve started! Yesterday Kai had an echocardiogram of his heart, a spinal tap and his chemotherapy. Poor Kai, we were at the clinic from 8:30 am till 4:30 pm. It was a very long day, but he really was brave and did great. Friday, Kai will be getting Asparaganase, which will be chemotherapy injected into both his thighs. The last time he got these shots he did very well and did not have any allergic reaction. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that it goes smoothly again.

After Kai finishes this delayed intensification phase he will begin the maintenance phase of his chemotherapy. During maintenance, he will get to do many of things that he’s been missing out on: going to school, going to Disneyland, seeing friends, going to birthday parties, etc. Kai really misses his school, friends and his teachers Miss Jamie, Miss Kristen and Miss Danielle. Hopefully he’ll be back in school very soon!

I would like to take this opportunity to give a belated thanks to all my family and friends at KAISER for their generous donation of vacation hours to me, so that I can take Kai to chemotherapy and be with him when he’s sick or needs me. Without all of your kind donations, I would not be able to take time off and care for Kai. It has been a very rough 9 months, but with the help, support and kindness of so many people, we are getting through this experience. Sometimes it all feels very “overwhelming”, but with so much love and support, our family feels so much strength and we know we can get through anything. The Human Resources Service Center at Kaiser will not tell me who kindly donated vacation hours to me, so I apologize for not being able to thank each and every one of you individually. When Kai is feeling a little better and up to seeing more people, we are going to have a party to celebrate his recovery. Everyone will be invited!

Thanks again for visiting Kai’s website! If you haven’t done so already, please register to be committed bone marrow donor! Our friends NANCY SAKAKURA & JACK FUJISHIGE need your help! You visit the A3M website and check their calendar of upcoming bone marrow donor drives. Thank you!

August 26, 2004
Sorry it’s been so long since our last update. Things have been very “up and down” with Kai’s treatment. Kai’s ANC counts have been very low, so we have not been able to start his second delayed intensification phase (the last “tough” phase). Kai was supposed to start this phase on August 11th, but unfortunately, his counts were too low.
When he finally starts his next phase, his hair will either fall out or thin out, and he’ll probably start to get sick. He’s a tough little guy, so we have no doubt that he’ll do just fine.

Kai is not able to go out and play with any friends or see many people right now. He is stuck at home everyday, and Grammy, Papa, Auntie Hiroko and Uncle Troy have been helping out with babysitting duties. Special thanks to our awesome babysitters! They always keep Kai entertained, even though he’s stuck at home. The only thing that Kai really gets to do is play with his toys and Gen, and watch television. His favorite programs are SpongeBob Squarepants, Codename: Kids Next Door (Cartoon Network), Ed, Edd & Eddy (Cartoon Network) and Teen Titans (Cartoon Network). It’s really funny to watch Kai & Gen run around and dance when the theme music comes on from Teen Titans. If you ever watch the cartoon, you’ll know what I mean!

Thank you for checking in to see how Kai is doing! If you have not already done so, please register to be a committed bone marrow donor. Our good friends Nancy Sakakura and Jack Fujishige need our help, too! You can go to the A3M website and check out the dates of upcoming bone marrow donor drives: www.asianmarrow.org. Our good friend Atsuko Gee at A3M will be happy to assist you.

Please feel free to send us an e-mail if you would like to keep in touch. Kai would love to hear from you.

June 19, 2004
Currently, Kai is ending his first “delayed intensification” phase of his treatment. He is doing very well, but has lost a little bit of his hair. Fortunately, Kai enjoys hats, so the hair loss hasn’t been too traumatic. Kai has to stay home every day and can’t be around too many people, because his immune system is so weak. Kai misses all his friends at Fountain Valley Montessori, but knows he’ll see them soon when he starts school again in October.

Although Kai is doing well, he might one day need a bone marrow transplant. We would like to encourage all of our family and friends to please get tested and register to become a potential donor. Two of our good friends Nancy Sakakura and Jack Fujishige are in need of a bone marrow transplant right now, so please get tested and registered if you haven’t already done so. You can visit the A3M website (www.asianmarrow.org) to find out future testing dates. There will be one at OCBC during Obon on July 17th & July 18th. Please spread the word!

Thank you so much for visiting Kai’s website. If you would like more information about leukemia, bone marrow donor registration, or upcoming bone marrow donor registration drives, please visit the following websites:
www.asianmarrow.org
www.leukemia-lymphoma.org

If you would like to contact us, please send us an e-mail.

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