[Maggie's Tokyo's Human Support the Meaning of Where Now ? And Cancer Journey].

The landscape architect Maggie Jencks felt that she wanted a place to "get herself back" when her breast cancer recurred and was told that she only had a few months remaining. Mr. Charles Jencks, her husband who fulfilled her wishes, opened the first "Maggie's Cancer Caring Centre" in Edinburgh in 1996. Masako Akiyama, the chief of Maggie's Tokyo found out about Maggie's Centre when she listened to a presentation from Andrew Anderson, the director of Maggie's Edinburgh, at an International Nursing Seminar in 2008. Masako Akiyama realized that support to "get back ones own power" is one of the important things. In addition, she felt that providing a "place" and "support" to patients and their families were predominant elements. When someone is diagnosed with cancer, the person gets a great shock and feels loneliness. Suddenly the person feels tomorrow will not come, every day becomes uncertain. These feelings affect their whole life such as enrollment, employment, loss of role, and change. They also affect people such as family, friends, colleagues, besides the person. Due to changes in treatment, the existential troubles that have been prolonged after the completion of the initial treatment appear. Cancer survivorship is called "Cancer journey"in the Maggie's flow. The cancer journey suddenly starts, when a person is diagnosed with cancer", without direction or a plan. Additionally, the "heart"is often left behind. To undertake the cancer journey, there are a lot of forks in the road that cannot turn back and they are urged to choose their path. "Where now ?"is a phrase in a pamphlet from Maggie's Centre, and the phrase shows that staff of Maggie's Centre can help cancer patient to recognize where they are in their Cancer journey. The Maggie's Centre has 2 important pillars: "building/environment"and "human support". As a "homely place" between hospital and my house, the building is "a healing space". Human support is provided free of charge and patients and families can stop by without reservation. Experienced cancer specialists and medical staff are always available. Unlike previous supportive methods for patients such as giving information and helping to solve problems, Maggie's emphasizes the 3 points of "snuggling up to each individual", "equal footing" and "to cherish their likeness empowerment". By talking to Maggie's medical professionals, patients and families can find their "heart" and regain their original strength.