TagHealth and Illness

by Patrick HallSan Francisco “Just as flowers open up and bear fruit, just as the moon appears and invariably grows full, just as a lamp becomes brighter when oil is added, and just as plants and trees flourish with rain, so will human beings never fail to prosper when they make good causes.” (“The Third Day

How practicing based on a vow enabled me to surmount illness with a great sense of purpose. by Amy WatsonSouth Weber, Utah In July 2019, I found out I had cancer for the third time. I had first been diagnosed 12 years earlier with synovial sarcoma, a rare cancer that only occurs in one to

by Myeong, Alam and Jason Hasson Fresno, Calif. World Tribune: Thank you for sharing your family experience with us, Myeong and Alam. We understand you faced a major obstacle as a family when your second child was born in 2012. Can you share what happened? Myeong Hasson (wife): When Jason was born, he did not

How I overcame debilitating health challenges and opened my careerpath through awakening to my bodhisattva vow. by JeanneMarie MandleyCHICAGO One night in January 2017, I woke up screaming because I couldn’t feel my legs. I found out I had mononucleosis, and the virus had attacked the nerves in my spinal cord. After being paralyzed for

How chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with deep conviction and appreciation saved my life. by Jane PostonBedford, Texas In September 2012, I started experiencing severe symptoms of heart failure stemming from the rare disease cardiac sarcoidosis. Most nights, I laid in bed propped up with pillows because this was the only way I could sleep without my lungs

By Eddie Mower In 2015, my wife, Emily, went in for a routine prenatal checkup, when doctors diagnosed our unborn son with hydrocephalus. The overaccumulation of cerebral fluid causes pressure on the brain and leads to developmental issues. Without a cure or a way to treat it before birth, the doctor told us we had

by Tammi AsayPhoenix For as long as I can remember, I have struggled with my health. At 4 years old, I was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Some days, I felt well enough to go to recess with my classmates, but if I played too hard, I would get sick. In addition to my health

How I transformed a childhood trauma into my mission to create a better world. by Ellie AustinSANTA ROSA, CALIF When I was 12, a boy at school asked me to go out with him. I said no, figuring that was the end of it. Unfortunately, he couldn’t take the rejection and began harassing me. This

How I transformed my illness by dedicating my life to kosen-rufu. by Jennifer Ohrstrom Minneapolis When I was young, I read SGI President Ikeda’s guidance to youth to actively seek out hardships and become individuals of outstanding character. My life was privileged, with everything I wanted within reach. But inspired by the SGI members who

How dedicating my life to kosen-rufu, based on appreciation, saved my life.

by Jim Richards New York In the 1980s, I was part of a gymnastics stunt performed by the young men at a large SGI-USA activity. We built a human pyramid on roller skates, and I was at the bottom level. I felt like giving up due to the seemingly unbearable weight on top of me,

by Debbie Uehara Las Vegas Four years ago, I learned that my daughter, Britan, was struggling with a heroin addiction. My once high-achieving daughter became a college dropout, jobless and chose to live on the streets with her abusive boyfriend. Britan was assaulted and robbed many times, and was in and out of the emergency