Sadako Sasaki
Sadako Sasaki (佐々木 禎子 Sasaki Sadako?, January 7, 1943 – October 25, 1955) was a Japanese girl who lived near Misasa Bridge in Hiroshima, Japan, when the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. At the time of the explosion Sadako was at home, about 1 mile from ground zero.
Her story, has of course, become mythologized. But it is true taht she first became aware of her illness when she fell during sports day. She was diagnosed with leukemia, which her mother referred to as 'atom bomb disease'. These days leukemia is curable, and the majority of children with leukemia make a full recover, but in the 1950s it was usually fatal.
Sadako's friend, Chiziko, made her a crane out of a single sheet of gold paper. In Japan, cranes symbolize long life and the two friends began to build 1000 cranes in the hope that Sadako would recover. Lacking paper at hospital, Sadako began to make cranes out of whatever she could lay her hands on.
Sadako completed 644 cranes before she died. Her friends made the rest.
She has become an international symbol of resilience and peace.
Her story, has of course, become mythologized. But it is true taht she first became aware of her illness when she fell during sports day. She was diagnosed with leukemia, which her mother referred to as 'atom bomb disease'. These days leukemia is curable, and the majority of children with leukemia make a full recover, but in the 1950s it was usually fatal.
Sadako's friend, Chiziko, made her a crane out of a single sheet of gold paper. In Japan, cranes symbolize long life and the two friends began to build 1000 cranes in the hope that Sadako would recover. Lacking paper at hospital, Sadako began to make cranes out of whatever she could lay her hands on.
Sadako completed 644 cranes before she died. Her friends made the rest.
She has become an international symbol of resilience and peace.