The Project and CF in Japan

The project, Healing Flags for Japan, was created to reach out to families affected by cystic fibrosis in Japan. Project creator, Robin Modlin, mother of an adult daughter with CF offered the flags as a gift while on tour with The Power Of Two Movie documentary team in October, 2009. Members of the CFRI community came to the office in Mountain View, CA to decorate flags. There were 28 flags from members of CF families and friends. The flags shared hope, beauty and support to all people affected by CF in Japan. While in Japan, Robin met three other CF parents who have been involved with starting The Committee for Enabling CF Treatment, a lobbying organization. The committee hopes to create greater awareness about CF and its special needs so that crucial treatments, medicines and care is available to all CF patients in Japan. The flags were offered to Mr. and Mrs. Adachi, parents of a 20 year old son, and Mrs. Aomaya, mother of a 15 year old daughter who had passed away, at a CF benefit concert in Sendai, Japan. There are less than 40 people diagnosed with CF in all of Japan. Of course, this is because CF is a genetic disease rarely found in Asian populations. Being so rare, there is little understanding about the disease and many medications are not available. Japan also has cultural biases regarding illness and disability that are just beginning to change allowing for more openness and willingness to accept people who suffer from chronic disease. Because of all of this, the patients and families with CF in Japan are very isolated. Our gift of Healing Flags was meant as a gesture to offer connection across the ocean with friendship, goodwill and community support.