Leamington mom hopes to raise awareness and funds for Japanese homeland

By Pat Bailey

Kae Lougheed is now thousands of miles away from the devastation in her homeland of Japan but she is still shaken by the tragedy.

For the 37-year-old stay at home mom who now calls Leamington home, the tragedy hasn’t touched her family in Japan directly but she feels it is important to raise awareness of the situation there.

Her fear, she said, is that those suffering in Japan are forgotten as the days pass.

She said she has already noticed that the Japan-based reports are fading in the headlines on the daily newscasts.

“And if you don’t see it on the news,” she said, “you forget about what happened.”

“There are so many sad stories behind the scenes,” said Lougheed, “and how the evacuees are living right now is beyond us.”

She said since the earthquake and tsunami hit on March 11, “I can’t stop thinking about Japan”.

Lougheed said she sat glued to her television set immediately following the disaster and continues to try to find solace in helping any way she possibly can.

“I wish I could fly to Japan to help them to rebuild the community,” she said, “but I have my own family here to support.”

But Lougheed is hoping that people around the world will do what they can to help the hundreds of thousands of people who have been affected directly by the disaster.

About 20,000 people are either missing, or confirmed dead, over 100,000 buildings were destroyed and hundreds of thousands of people have been evacuated, said Lougheed.

And those most vulnerable right now, she said, are facing a shortage of food, water, fuel, medicine and other basic necessities.

In addition, Lougheed said they are also facing a nuclear crisis and a tremendous amount of uncertainty.

She said she is hoping that local residents will open their pocketbooks and donate what they can afford to assist the residents of Japan.

“Your help gives hope and strength,” she said, “to the survivors who lost loved ones, houses, jobs or everything — allowing them to rebuild and move forward, shining a little bit of light on a future which at the moment is very dark.”

 Lougheed said to donate, visit www.jccc.on.ca (the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre).

Thank you for your call and your interest in my letter.

Since the disaster happened, I can’t stop thinking of Japan.

It is hard to believe that such beautiful places and people were disappeared in a moment.

I was thinking what I can do here in Leamington.

People in Leamington don’t know much about Japan and almost no connection to Japan.

Like I said on the phone, we don’t see or hear much about the situation in Japan on TV or radio these days. People are easy to forget things especially if it doesn’t affect your daily life. However, a long-term recovery from the disaster has just begun, and people in Japan are facing to nuclear crisis on top of it. Huge expenses are expected for it.

I hope my letter gives people a chance to rethink how desperately Japan needs financial support.