Photo of Sadako (left)
Sadako Sasaki was two years old when the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6th, 1945. Ten years later, having collapsed while running, she was diagnosed with lukemia, which her mother called ‘an atom bomb disease.’ Her best friend, visiting her in hospital, folded a paper crane for her, telling her of the legend that anyone who folded 1000 of these would be granted a wish. At first her wish was to be well, but when she realised this wouldn’t happen, she wished for peace. She died in October 1955, having completed 644 origami cranes, which she made out of any paper she could get her hands on, including the packaging from medicines. Her brother hung them in strings from the ceiling, and after her death, her friends completed the 1000 cranes and buried them with her.
Every year, thousands of strings of peace cranes are offered at the statue of Sadako in Hiroshima.
‘I will write ‘peace’ on your wings, and you will fly all over the world.’ – Sadako Sasaki
information about Sadako and the peace crane:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A302202
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Photo of statue of Sadako, hung with strings of origami peace cranes. Click on photo for link.
Tomorrow:The crane in legend
Hi Hilary,
ReplyDeleteA moving story behind your story, but at the same time it is kind of uplifting. Although Sadako died as a result of a needless and barbaric event, her memory has kept the hope for peace alive.