{Update} “The Power of Two” Japan Tour Wrap-up & Year-End Fundraising

November 24, 2009 Update

Japan Tour Wrap-Up

Media Coverage

Sporting Events

Lectures & Speeches

Charity Concerts

Interviews

Summary of Japan Accomplishments

Year-End Fundraising

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Dear Friends & Supporters:

It's hard to believe it's been a month since we returned from our 25-day tour of Japan for THE POWER OF TWO project. The encouragement and support we've received from so many people around the world has been an inspiration, and we've achieved incredible momentum in just a few short months!

Now, as we gear up for what will surely be a busy holiday season, we wanted to take this opportunity to thank you once again for following our journey, to share with you a wrap-up of our key milestones and accomplishments from Japan, and to offer you an update on our fund raising progress as we move forward in 2010 to complete filming in the United States and finish production on the broadcast documentary.

I. JAPAN TOUR WRAP-UP

By all measures, our tour of Japan -- the first phase of THE POWER OF TWO -- was a resounding success. Ana and Isa's presence in 10+ cities contributed to widespread public discussion about organ transplantation - an issue that is clearly at a tipping point in Japan. Ana and Isa were welcomed and lauded as international ambassadors by media and public alike, and the Japanese embraced their message of diplomacy and friendship with openness and grace.

- Media Coverage - Major media outlets attended our press conference in Tokyo (Video) that launched the twins' tour of their mother's home country, the Japanese version of their memoir (Link), and the accompanying film project (Link). Sales of their book in Japan have been impressive, and the twins were interviewed by leading media outlets throughout the country (Link). They also appeared on the popular Tokyo-FM talk show "Diary," an incredible interview that is likely to be a highlight of the final documentary.

- Sporting Events - Ana and Isa were featured guests at two major sporting events, the 18th Annual Japan Transplant Games in Fukuoka (Video) and the Green Ribbon Running Festival in Tokyo (Video). In Fukuoka, they competed along side transplant recipients from Japan, the United States, Thailand, Vietnam and New Zealand. The event featured a substantial delegation of transplant doctors and donor families, many of whom were interviewed for THE POWER OF TWO.

- Lectures & Speeches - Ana & Isa delivered 19 speeches and keynote addresses in Japanese. In a number of cities, the twins spoke to audiences of young doctors, nurses, and medical students about their emerging role as the next generation of medical providers who can talk to patients openly about organ donation as a viable end of life option. At Ryukyu University in Okinawa, they shared the stage at a triumphant reunion with Dr. Jiro Fujita, the physician who treated their Cystic Fibrosis when they lived in Japan during 1994-95.

- Charity Concerts - Four charity concerts in Tokyo, Okinawa, Yokohama, and Sendai (Video) brought Ana and Isa together with leading musicians and performers to help raise awareness of organ transplantation and Cystic Fibrosis. At the 10th Anniversary Celebration for the Japan Transplant Support Association in Yokohama, remarks by Dr. Tomoaki Kato - a member of THE POWER OF TWO advisory board and transplant surgeon at Columbia University - were a highlight that included a summation of the "state of the state" for organ transplantation in Japan and a call-to-action for the Japanese that will be prominently featured in the final film.

- Interviews - Thanks to many who helped us build key relationships in Japan, we interviewed 30+ key stakeholders who shed incredible light on the international concerns that inform organ transplantation, including leading transplant surgeons; transplant advocates and community leaders; diverse organ recipients and donor families impacted by the current situation in Japan; and top politicians in the Diet who have taken a leading role around recent changes to transplantation law and infrastructure.