“When I Think of You” is written in Japanese by Kumiko Takagi, a member of the Hat Spring Project to offer prayers for the victims of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami and to carry the message that the spirits of your deceased loved ones are always with you and protect you.

Yuko Komada wrote the English lyrics with a lot of help of her friends.  In the summer of 2017, she met Darby Holmes and showed her the score of the song.  She kindly agreed to sing the song for us, saying that it was so thoughtful, touching and beautiful.  We have uploaded the video to YouTube.  We hope you enjoy.

My friend Kumiko and her friend Yu san, who is an ALS patient, wrote the song, “Hazy Moonlight.”  Kumiko wrote an essay about the songwriting process.  Last year the essay ,“Hazy Moonlight： Writing a song with Yu san” won the 52nd NHK Welfare Award.

“I will translate this essay into English so that more people will listen to the song and learn about ALS,” I thought.  This idea delighted Kumiko and Yu san.  We would be grateful if you would read this story and listen to the song.

Special thanks to Kathy Craft, who helped me as a proofreader.

Yuko Komada

Kumiko Takagi and Yu san shared the NHK Welfare award for an essay written about the process of making a song "Hazy Moonlight".

Yusan is Kumiko's friend, who is an ALS patient. First, Kumiko started to write the song to encourage her.  However, through writing the song together, soon they found it as if they were conveying messages toward people struggling similarly in a tough situation.

Chiaki Arisaka was invited and sang the song in the award ceremony.

Attention! Upload "Hazy Moon Light" to YouTube. 

Director of the Hat Spring Project, Kumiko Takagi (miko-miku) made the second song, "Hazy Moonlight". The Yomiuri article (Sep. 7th, 2016) is about the song .

The lyrics are co-written by Yu, who is an ALS patient, and Kumiko.  

PROLOGUE

Diagnosed with ALS, I got into the depths of despair that day.

I still cannot get the shock out of my mind.

Enormous fear and tremendous sorrow

Overwhelmed me.

Though I feel my tears welling up in my eyes,

I can no longer wipe them away alone.

But some are giving me support closely,

Others are encouraging me quietly and remotely

Getting ALS gave me opportunities

To feel the warmth of people more than before.

Going through each uneasy day,

I will live my life,

Connecting with different people.

Yu July, 2016

We are deeply honored to be mentioned in the annual report of Angie's Spa.

We will translate the message into Japanese to let everyone who helped to make the terry cloth hats know about Angie’s Spa more.  Thank you very much.

Here is the message to the donors from Nancy Benson Berry, Executive Director, Angie's Spa Inc.

  Dear Donors,                                                                   

    This year, 2016, has been a wonderful year. Thanks to your commitment and

    generosity, we reached our fundraising goal of raising over $1,000,000 since the   

    inception of Angie's Spa in 2008! That funding has allowed Angie's Spa to realize

    additional outstanding achievements this year. Together we:                     

       •Funded more than 8,000 free therapeutic services to cancer patients          

       •Funded free therapeutic massages for children with cancer at UF Health,     

         Jacksonville, Florida                                                      

       •Renewed funding to our seven existing hospital programs                      

       •Added UCLA Simms/Mann Integrative Medicine Center to our hospital           

         partnerships                                                               

    We have seen an increase in applications from cancer centers across the USA as  

    therapeutic treatments have become essential components in cancer patient treat 

    ment plans. In 2016, we received 10 grant applications from hospitals interested

    in funding an Angie's Spa program. Together we were able to renew our 7 existing

    programs and add one new program.

   Our donor support is the backbone of Angie's Spa since we are solely funded by   

   private donations. This year we especially want to recognize Joanna Klein, Board 

   Member and Founder of Angie's Spa, who raised fully a third of our revenue by    

   hosting and matching all expenses for the most successful fundraiser we've ever  

   had. Joanna also lifted Angie's Spa's profile with her interview in the Fall, 2016

   Cancer Today magazine.

   Thanks to our donor, Yuko Komada, who extended support for Angie's Spa           

   internationally. Yuko gathered a group of friends in Japan to make hundreds of   

   soft terry cloth hats, and send them to our cancer patients. 

   As always, I am grateful to our dedicated, small, unpaid staff, and volunteer    

   consultants who donate their time and expertise so that all donations can go     

   directly to benefit patients. Not one donated dollar goes to pay for salaries or 

   other manpower costs.

   Finally, we recognize the devoted and caring staff and therapists of our hospital

   programs. Their work has prompted hundreds of letters of appreciation from pa    

  tients and caregivers, as well as from nurses and doctors who see, first-hand,     

  the benefit of therapeutic spa treatments.

  With your continued support, we are able to partner with Oncology teams and       

  provide cancer patients with the most beneficial, integrative treatment plans.     

  Together we can continue to help combat the pain, side effects and stress they    

  endure. FOR FREE!                                                                 

  Gratefully Yours,                                                                  

Nancy Benson Berry                                                                  

Executive Director, Angie's Spa Inc.