Shigeko sasamori biography samples

Japanese anti-nuclear activist (–)

Shigeko Sasamori (笹森恵子; néeNiimoto; June 16, – December 15, ) was a Japanese peace and anti-nuclear activist.

Shigeko sasamori biography samples pdf Sasamori c. Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Sasamori is a survivor of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Annual Martin Luther King Jr.

She was a survivor of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and an advocate for peace and nuclear disarmament. After receiving reconstructive surgeries in the United States, she pursued a career as a nurse's aide and shared her experiences to educate others about the consequences of nuclear warfare.

Early life and education

Sasamori was born on June 16, , in Hiroshima, Japan, to Masayuki Niimoto, an oyster fisherman, and Sato Tanabe Niimoto, a homemaker.^[1] On August 6, , at the age of 13, she survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima while working to clear debris from the city's streets.^[1][2] She was approximately two miles from the bomb's hypocenter and suffered severe burns on over a quarter of her body, including her face, chest, arms, and hands.^[1][2] Her parents found her several days later and cared for her injuries at home using makeshift treatments.^[1]

In , she was selected as one of 25 young women, later known as the "Hiroshima Maidens," to travel to the United States for reconstructive surgeries arranged by Norman Cousins, a journalist and peace activist.^[1][2][3] She underwent multiple operations at Mount Sinai Hospital, which improved her appearance and functionality, though her scars remained visible.^[1] During her time in the United States, she lived primarily with the family of Norman Cousins in Connecticut.^[1]

Career

After her reconstructive surgeries, Sasamori returned briefly to Japan but later relocated to the United States.^[1] She continued her education and trained as a nurse's aide in the late s.

During her nursing career, she cared for patients, including newborns and individuals with debilitating conditions such as Parkinson's disease.^[1]

Sasamori shared her experiences as a survivor of the atomic bombing and advocating for nuclear disarmament. She addressed audiences in schools, international organizations, and legislative settings, including a U.S.

Senate subcommittee in , where she described the health impacts of nuclear war.^[1] She participated in documentaries, such as Race to Oblivion () and White Light/Black Rain: The Destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (), to further awareness about the consequences of nuclear warfare.^[1]

She was also involved with Hibakusha Stories, a program aimed at educating young people about the effects of nuclear weapons through first-hand survivor testimonies.^[1]

Personal life and death

Sasamori was spiritually adopted by the Cousins family during her time in the United States, an arrangement described as a "moral adoption."^[1] In , she gave birth to her son, whom she named Norman Cousins Sasamori, honoring her connection with the Cousins family.^[1]

Sasamori spent her later years in Marina del Rey, California, and remained active in peace advocacy until her death there on December 15, , at the age of ^[1] Her death came shortly after the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, a Japanese organization of atomic bomb survivors.^[1]

References