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To everyone who has supported Hiro

We apologise for this sudden announcement but, we are humbled to say that Hiro was able to get a heart transplant in Japan in May. He is now awake and in stable condition. He is now spending some time with his parents. The best option for Hiro was always to have the transplant in Japan. However, because it is such a rare occurrence, it was something we had not even dreamed about and still cannot believe has happened. We would like to send our deepest sympathy to the family of the child who was the donor of this heart. It must have been a painful and heart breaking decision to decide to do so. And while we cannot imagine the pain of this child's parents, we will be eternally grateful to them.

We apologise for not being able to make this announcement as soon as the transplant was done. There were many things like privacy that had to be taken into consideration before making this announcement. This was the earliest and only way that we could make our announcement.

Fundraising for Hiro was stopped right after the transplant. Today however, we would like to announce the official cessation of fundraising activities.
If there are any posters or donation boxes, please collect them and transfer the money to our JP bank (00160-6-420626). Other banks are no longer available.

Due to the way the donations were made, we will not be able to return the remaining funds to each donor. Instead, all your heartfelt donations will be distributed to other children who are still fighting each and every day while waiting to get their surgery overseas. We ask for your understanding and cooperation.
Please visit our homepage and Facebook site for further updates.
Thank you again for your loving support of Hiro. We could not have made it here without all of you.

2017.05.20
Staff from Save Hiro

Message from Hiro’s parents

ひろくん

Our son Hiro was born on November 9th, 2014. Immediately after birth, multiple congenital heart defects were discovered and Hiro had to be hospitalized to receive medical treatment at a local hospital. He was eventually diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy (enlarged heart), as well as left ventricular non-compaction (a disease which causes a hole in his heart, limiting its ability to pump blood properly). As a result of these conditions, at the age of 2 months old, Hiro was transferred to the University of Tokyo Hospital to undergo surgery to narrow his pulmonary artery, in hopes of trying to reduce the stress on his heart.
 Over the following year, we tried to see if his long-term condition could be improved via non-surgical medical treatments, but he kept needing to be hospitalized over and over again due to his poor condition.
 Hiro suffered heart failure again in August 2016, causing his prospects for non-surgical medical treatments to fade. He then underwent surgery to install a pediatric auxiliary artificial heart (Berlin Heart EXCOR), which allowed him to recover some of his mobility and activity. However, this artificial heart is, at best, only a temporary measure. At this point, the only way for Hiro to be able to live a normal life is to receive a heart transplant.
 In order to save Hiro, we must ask for your kind support. We fully realize that this is a selfish request, but in order for Hiro to be able to live a healthy life with his family, we humbly ask for your help.
Hajime and Reiko Inamoto

Request for donations

ひろくん

In 2010, Japan’s organ transplant law was revised to legalize organ transplantation for children, but over the past 6 years only 4 heart transplants have taken place. The prospects for Hiro to receive a successful heart transplant within Japan are extremely low. While Hiro is connected to the artificial heart, he is in constant danger of infection or blood clots which could lead to stroke or cerebral hemorrhage. Therefore, in order to save Hiro’s life, his parents have made the decision to try to bring him to the United States to undergo heart transplant surgery.
 Hiro's doctors from Tokyo University hospital have worked hard on his behalf; as a result, the Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) in New York City has taken on Hiro's case. Unfortunately, the heart transplant in the United States must be paid for privately without any support from insurance companies or public medical aid. Since he is connected to an auxiliary artificial heart, Hiro must be transported to CUMC from Japan via a special purpose airplane and will be hospitalized there while waiting for a suitable transplant donor. The total cost for transportation and treatment will exceed 2.5 million US dollars and is far beyond what an average family can afford.
 Therefore, we decided to start the Charity to Save Hiro and are gathering donations so he can get a heart transplant, get healthy, and eventually be able to live with his family. In order to save Hiro, we ask for your kind support and help.
Contact Person, Yuichi Miyamoto
(translated by Charles Chen)