Shine On! Kids greets the New Year with a long list of accomplishments in 2024 and exciting goals for 2025 and beyond!
In 2024, we celebrated a growing trend of seeing more and more of our amazing young survivors and program beneficiaries take a larger role in our work – becoming mentors to their friends still undergoing treatment for their illnesses in and out of hospital, as well as driving new initiatives in Shine On! Kids.
Beads of Courage, Camp Courage for Survivors, Kid’s Planning Room, Shine On! Friends and Shine On! Connections are all growing and going strong, impacting more and more kids and families throughout Japan.
Our rapidly growing Hospital Facility Dog program has some of the most ambitious goals in 2025. It is fantastic that so many top children’s hospitals in Japan are knocking at our door (well…sometimes banging on the door!) to secure one of our highly-trained Hospital Facility Dog teams.
We welcomed 3 new dogs to our training program in 2024, but this is nowhere near enough to meet demand – presenting us with some exciting new challenges in the years ahead:-)
I would like to express my gratitude to all of our donors in Japan and overseas – individuals and corporations, long-term supporters and brand new ones. It is an honor share our work and our dreams and feel the love and acknowledgement for the important work we are doing. Thank you all for joining us on our journey of healing and positive transformation for children and families all over Japan!
Kim Forsythe
President
Beads of Courage
In 2024, Beads of Courage was introduced to 4 new pediatric medical facilities and is now active in 30 hospitals and facilities nationwide! Throughout the year we held “Reflection Beads” workshops for children in hospitals without the Beads of Courage program, as well as for those discharged from hospital before the program began. These workshops are incredibly powerful post-treatment, as a tangible way for kids to reflect upon and acknowledge their long and courageous journey to healing.
We also started trailing two new programs. The NICU Beads program is designed for families of children admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit. The trial began in September 2024 at Shimane University Hospital, and by November, the program had grown to involve some 30 infants and their families.
The Sibling Beads Program recognizes the efforts of siblings of children undergoing long-term treatment for conditions such as pediatric cancer. Often, these children endure long periods of separation from their sick sibling, limited time with their parents, and emotional challenges. The trial for this program started at TSURUMI Children’s Hospice in Osaka. In October, during a Reflection Beads workshop held at the facility, the Sibling Beads program was introduced to the borthers and sisters of participating children.
In 2025, we will further increase the number of hospitals participating in all aspects of Beads of Courage, aiming to provide access to this amazing program to everyone who can benefit from it in Japan!
Shine On! Community and Shine On! Connections
Last year, we gave a name to our survivor’s network suite of programs that includes Camp Courage, Kid’s Planning Room, and Shine On! Friends: “Shine On! Community“. All of these programs focus on our growing group of “graduates” of Shine On! Kids programs who are keen to connect with their peers, to mentor and share experiences with current patients, and to make a positive difference in society at large regarding the perceptions and challenges of pediatic cancer patients and survivors in Japan.
Shine On! Connections, our online program launched during COVID-19 restrictions, has entered its fifth year. This program integrates STEAM education and intellectual development through collaboration with expert instructors, musicians, and volunteers. It provides children with interactive content tailored for specifically for kids on pediatric wards, including art, music, English, science, magic shows, LEGO, and rakugo (traditional Japanese storytelling).
Thanks to your generous support in 2024, we have been able to offer a variety of critical psychosocial care programs to more children and their families across Japan.
Hospital Facility Dog Program
In 2024, the medical community and the general public leapt to new heights in acknowledging the positive impact Shine On! Kids’ Hospital Facility Dog teams have on the psychosocial health and development of sick children. And this is driving an unprecedented demand for our dog teams in hospitals throughout Japan!
Last year we welcomed three new candidate dogs, bringing the total number of dogs in training to five. We also welcomed a new training manager in 2024 with extensive experience working with ADI (Assistance Dogs International) accredited organizations abroad. Currently, our three-person team is training Oli, Tommy, Miko, Mana, and Sora.
Oli, Tommy, and Miko are undergoing full-scale training as “interns” within pediatric wards at Kanagawa Children’s Medical Center and Tokyo Metropolitan Children’s Medical Center. Meanwhile, puppies Mana and Sora are actively engaging with children post-discharge by visiting international schools and participating in various events.
To enable us to train at least seven candidate dogs at a time in 2025, we plan relocate to a larger training facility, as we have a mid-term plan to introduce 13 teams by 2028!
Executive Fight Night XIII
May 30th, 2025
Try Out! Save the Date!
🌟🥊 Get Ready for Executive Fight Night XIII! 🥊🌟
SAVE THE DATE
EFN XIII — May 30th at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo
Mark your calendars for the hottest event in Tokyo!
Not sure what EFN is? (How is that possible??)
Take a look HERE!
Why not be part of the action in the ring?
Step out of your comfort zone, get in amazing shape, and make a difference in the lives of sick kids in Japan!
Join us for our upcoming Executive Fight Night tryouts:
📅 Date: February 22, 2025, from 4:30pm
🏢 Location: Club360 (Hills)
To register your interest, click here to fill out the form! 👊
All levels are welcome to try out—whether you’re a seasoned athlete or a first-timer, this is your chance to shine! 💪✨
AND top sponsorship opportunities are still available!
Get in touch to learn more!
