My sister, 8-years younger than me, is handicapped. I have grown up with my handicapped sister
and an able-bodied sister. When I was in the 6th grade in an elementary school (when I was 11 years
old), I already thought about the responsibilities to take care of my handicapped sister, imagining the
future when my parents would have passed away. At that time, I wanted to become a doctor. So my
parents expected me to become a doctor and work for the facility where my sister would live.
However, it is not so common in Japan for women to work outside (maybe all over the world) (though
it is changing little by little). Thus, in trying to plan for my future, twice, I lost the sense of my
direction. Even the thought of suicide once occurred to me. I didn't become a doctor. Looking back
on these severe psychological difficulties I went through, I always think that I wouldn't have lost the
sense of my direction so badly, had there been the SIBLING SUPPORT NETWORK all through my
life.
In 1991, I joined a sibling group because I was eager to look
for PEER SUPPORT. I compiled
a book about sibling issues with 2 sibs as a group, and it was
published in 1996. However, the group
didn't function well. Then, I got to know Mr. DONALD MEYER in
October of 1997 through
the WEB SITE of
Sibling Support Project. THIS was the kind of support I have
wanted!
I immediately decided to visit Seattle to meet Mr. Meyer.
I read his BOOKS
and joined SIBNET and SIBKIDS. I met him in August of 1998 and
asked him to
come to Japan to give a lecture for Japanese siblings, disabled,
parents and service providers. Having
known Mr. Meyer and the
Sibling Support Project in the U.S.A., I decided to start
a new group, better
than the old group, "the Sibling Support Group," in
Tokyo since June of 1998.
I am planning
to translate his publications and web site into Japanese, and
wanted to conduct
SIBSHOPS (workshops for siblings) with other siblings here in
Japan. Though we are all volunteers,
we will apply some grant. And if it is possible for me to get
the kind of job in Japan that Mr. Meyer
does in the U.S.A., I would be willing to work for the position!