Japanese cancer blogger,Mao Kobayashi has passed on

Mao Kobayashi,a well known Japanese blogger who fought the odds to open up about her battle with breast cancer has died at the age of 34 on Thursday in Tokyo.


Mao,of course,like many people,concealed her battle about her illness from the society because she was scared of been stigmatized by the public.The moving force or zeal came into her when a media house in Japan published a story about her illness.

According to her,she decided to come out of her shell by stepping into the sunlight and started her blog which was titled,'Kokoro',meaning heart and she was overwhelmed and surprised by the response and support from the public.

''I had been blaming myself and thinking of myself as a failure for not being able to live as i had before.I was hiding behind my pain.

''I decided to say goodbye to myself who hid behind cancer.''

Mao Kobayashi,was named as one of  BBC's 100 Women of Inspirational and Influential female figures in 2016.

Her husband,Ebizo Ichikawa  while briefing the press on Friday about her death said:

''Mao was able to talk the day before yesterday but yesterday,she was unable to speak.When she passed,she was looking at me,she said,'I love you' and left us.

''She fought the cancer hard,she thought she could be of help to others if she could cure the illness.That's why she started her blog because of the media,her illness became public and in a way,it was a good thing.

''By starting the blog,she could share feelings with those who are fighting the same illness.She was incredible,i know i will keep learning from her.''

She was also a former newscaster and she left behind her husband and two kids.