An episode of a mother from Brazil
I would like to share with you an episode. There is a letter from a mother who lives in Vitoria, Brazil. The first letter was dated August 12, 1991. However, because I was unable to read this first letter written in Portuguese, I wrote a letter addressing the problem. A second letter from the same woman came three months later, and I would like to share it with you.
Vitoria, ES Y December 11, 1991
Dear Dr. Ogita,
My name is Maria Ribero. Thank you for your letter and a present.
I sent a letter to you on August 12, 1991. However, because you are not able to read it in Portuguese, I am sending the letter translated into English.
I had a baby that was diagnosed with lymphatic malformations on the left cheek. The baby was hospitalized for four months. Although the baby received a surgical operation, she did not get well. Thereafter, the doctor made a surgical operation on the trachea, but the results were unfortunate.
I live in Vitoria, and these operations were made in Rio de Janeiro. After a few days following the second operation, the doctors in Rio de Janeiro found the medicine called OK-432 in a medical journal in English. This is a unique medication that will be able to save the life and face of my child.
The doctor’s discovery of this medication was too late － my baby died on September 4. I believe my baby is at peace at the moment, because I believe my baby is in the Kingdom of Heaven, together with God. The life of my baby lasted for only six months. Without erasing a smile from my face, I live with another child. He is seven years old, and is my only child.
The photographs I sent you are of my baby and of the other child. I would like to have these photographs returned to me. When I had sent you these photographs, I did not realize my baby was going to die. At the moment, I do not have any photograph of my baby at hand.
If possible, would you please send me photographs of landscape in Japan? I would like to put up one photograph in the hospital that housed my baby for four months, and would like to put up the second one in my home.
I hope that you will be able to render your intelligence to the happiness and welfare of others. I know that you are a messenger of God.
I will never forget you. I will always pray for you and the friends in your hospital. I would like you to know that Jesus Christ loves you and he is the only god in the world.
I hope that you are a follower of Jesus Christ and are able to believe in him.
I hope that you will always think of the following words: Psalm 23: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Let me end here. I greatly appreciate your contribution to the science.
May God Bless You.
As she found OK-432 therapy too late, she lost her small irreplaceable life. Every time I read this philosophical letter, I feel the mother’s grief, and it causes pain in my heart. I could not hold back my tears.
Children in foreign countries diagnosed as lymphatic malformations do not know of OK-432 developed in Japan, and will have continuous fear of death throughout their life. Children born in poverty will not be able to receive adequate treatment and will have no choice but to die. This is irrational…