The 4th TOMODACHI J&J Disaster Nursing Training Program Participants(Japanese syllabary order)

Name：Yumi Gima
School：Sendai Medical Center
Hometown：Rifu, Miyagi PrefectureI experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake during my first year of middle
school. At the time, there was no water in the area where I lived, and when I saw
seniors volunteering to collect water, I became inspired to volunteer and help
others. However, I could not take any real action at the time. As someone who has always wanted tobecome a nurse, I became interested in disaster nursing due to my experience during the earthquake,
which is why I applied to this program. In recent years, a variety of disasters have taken place in Japandue to extreme weather. During the study tour in the United States, I would like to learn disaster
response measures not only for earthquakes, but also for hurricanes and other disasters that cannot beeasily studied in Japan. In the future, I would like to become a member of DMAT (the disaster medical
assistance team), and be able to take positive action in times of disasters.

Name：Runa Komato
School：Sendai Medical CenterHometown：Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture
I became interested in disaster nursing because I felt so powerless during the Great
East Japan Earthquake. As much as I wanted to help, I was only in sixth grade at
the time, so all I could do was watch. From then on, I’ve wanted to learn about
disaster response techniques and skills. When a disaster takes place, many people of different religions
and who speak different languages are affected. By training in a multi-ethnic nation like the UnitedStates, I would like to learn how to conduct disaster nursing in different cultures. I have two goals formy participation in this program: to always take action with purpose, and to share the memories of theGreat East Japan Earthquake with more people. By participating in this program, I would like to keep
the lessons of the earthquake alive, and also learn to support people.

Name：Ayaka Sasaki
School：Japanese Red Cross Ishinomaki Hospital
Hometown：Rifu, Miyagi Prefecture
I had just graduated from high school when I experienced the earthquake. I helped
hold volunteer and disaster countermeasure workshops in coastal areas, and also
helped to communicate the necessity of disaster measures and the current situationof Japan with overseas communities. I heard about the program from a senior at my school who
participated in the program in previous year. Since then, I’ve thought about disaster prevention fromdifferent perspectives, and the importance of disaster countermeasures. I also want to expand my own
network, deepen my understanding about nursing, and participate in my school’s disastercountermeasure committee. Through this program, I would like to look at the current state of disasternursing through my own eyes, and learn about the difference between nursing in the United States andin Japan, and how I can apply my experience in Japan. Using the knowledge gained through thisprogram, I hope to learn about and follow international standards as a nurse.

Name：Yukiyo Toyokawa
School：Tohoku University
Hometown：Misawa, Aomori Prefecture
There are still many challenges that remain in Tohoku to this day, such as the healthproblems associated with living in temporary housing. I want to participate in thisprogram in order to solve such health problems and to deepen my understanding
about disaster nursing. Fortunately, my relatives and I did not suffer much damage from the earthquake,so I think I can bring a very different perspective to this program than the other participants. There arethree main things I would like to learn through the program: a nurse’s role and responsibilities during adisaster; how to approach different regional medical issues; and how to treat the physical, mental, andsocial problems of victims. I would like to expand my knowledge in areas I am less familiar with, suchas the current state of the affected areas and the current state of disaster nursing in the United States.

Name：Shiori Hikichi
School：Iwate Prefectural University
Hometown：Fukushima, Fukushima Prefecture
I became interested in disaster nursing after my own experience during the Great
East Japan Earthquake and by participating in various activities that wereorganized by my university and other organizations. My grandmother andrelatives suffered greatly from the accident at the nuclear plant in Fukushima, however I was not able
to do anything to help them and felt powerless. Upon starting university, I began to participate in various
activities to learn more about the affected areas in Fukushima, and I now work with a volunteer groupat a temporary housing unit in one of the disaster areas. By participating in the program, I hope toexpand my knowledge on disaster nursing, and apply it to future activities. During the study tour in theUnited States, I would like to learn about disaster response from the acute period to the recovery period;
how residents, local government, and municipality are engaged; and about mental health during
disasters. I would like to learn as much as possible, while also considering what I want to do in thefuture, as well as what I am capable of doing.

Name：Hikaru Matsuno
School：Kameda College of Health Sciences
Hometown：Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture
After experiencing the earthquake, I became interested in DMAT, which is very
active in responding to accidents and disasters. After enrolling in a university
affiliated with a trauma hospital, I heard about a nurse who was dispatched as aDMAT in Sendai. This made me realize that there was still a lot for me to learn. Currently, I attend
university in Chiba Prefecture, and I still feel the lack of understanding and awareness about disasters
possessed by those who live in unaffected areas. Therefore, I want to participate in this program in orderto gain as much knowledge and experience as possible. Although this program will end in one year, it
is only the beginning of my journey as a nurse. I would like to absorb as much information about disasternursing as possible, so that in the future, I can feel a true connection to Tohoku and nursing in Japan.

Name：Aya Matsunoshita
School：Miyagi University
Hometown：Natori, Miyagi Prefecture
I would like to participate in this program because I would like to learn about
disaster nursing by visiting the actual areas, facilities, and organizations thatspecialize in disaster nursing. During the study tour in the United States, I willlearn about how staff members work together on a daily basis, and I will listen to their thoughts on
disaster nursing. By listening to them, I would like to deepen my understanding of disaster nursing, andI hope to continue this growth into the future. At the same time, I would like to share my thoughts andthe knowledge I’ve gained through the program with others, to help more people become interested indisaster nursing. Because this program presents a valuable opportunity to learn about disaster nursing,
I would like to engage myself fully in order to learn as much as I possibly can in a limited amount oftime.