Key Facts
• Maria Miki, 27, diagnosed with acute leukemia at age 13.
• Began classical ballet at age 3; trained 5–6 hours daily by 8th grade.
• Symptoms appeared during gym class: dizziness, headache, partial vision loss.
• Hospitalized after severe fatigue and joint pain; diagnosis required about 1 year of inpatient care.
• Missed international ballet competition (1 month later) and school trip (2 months later).
• Chemotherapy caused hair loss; nurse suggested shaving hair for hygiene.
• Nurse’s phrase “poor thing” felt hurtful, defining her as a pitiable patient.
• Inspired by this, she pursued nursing to understand the power of words.
• Now a licensed nurse and ballet instructor, active in nationwide awareness activities.
• Delivered a lecture at a high school in Hiroshima sharing her experience.
Summary
Maria Miki’s life changed dramatically when she was diagnosed with acute leukemia at 13, just as she was preparing for an international ballet competition. Ballet, her passion since age 3, was abruptly taken from her during a year-long hospital stay. The physical toll of chemotherapy, including hair loss, was compounded by the emotional impact of being labeled “poor thing” by a nurse, which deeply hurt her. This experience motivated Maria to become a nurse who understands the profound effect of words on patients. Today, at 27, she combines her nursing career with running a ballet school and promoting bone marrow donation awareness across Japan. Her story, shared in a Hiroshima high school lecture, highlights resilience, the importance of compassionate communication, and finding new dreams amid despair.
