<div>It is with great sorrow that we announce the death of our wonderful friend John Balson. John was a loving father to his three-year-old daughter and best friend to his wife, Yumeno, who will give birth to their second daughter in August. He was a wonderful husband, father, son, brother and friend. We will remember him for his brilliantly silly humour, love of football, cooking, boxing, hiking, nature, wrestling, travelling and his love for his family and friends.
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<div>John was a hard-working professional and was 100% healthy up until eight weeks ago, when he stood up at work one day and became instantly dizzy. The condition quickly worsened causing him constant dizziness, migraines, insomnia and pain 24 hours a day, seven days a week. After he left his job due to the illness, he dedicated himself to treatment, seeking help from the GPs, ENT departments, private MRI scans, consultations and rehabilitation from neurologists and vestibular specialists, psychiatrists, therapists, the NHS mental health crisis team, emergency hospital admission, reflexology, acupuncture, head massage, meditation, dietary therapy, various painkillers and tranquillizers.
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<div>Despite these efforts, his symptoms became even more severe, making not only football and boxing and all the exercises that he used to be able to do to release the stress impossible, but also even simple tasks were too painful. He could no longer cook, read, write, play the piano, listen to music, run, swim, watch TV, use the computer or phone, or do simple household chores. The only thing he could manage was walking his daughter to and from nursery three days a week. Even gentle walking caused him immense pain but he absolutely adored his daughter and wanted to do it for her with a smile on his face.
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<div>The family would have paid any money we had to give John just a minute’s relief from the agony he was experiencing. He described it as, ‘the cruelest punishment I could have imagined.’
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<div>In the last four weeks of his life, every morning was groundhog day for him; his family pleading with him to find some hope and positivity and reassuring him that we would find a cure. He lost a huge amount of weight in a short period of time and his mental health rapidly deteriorated. Every minute was a struggle for him and he fought bravely as long as he could. As John told his friends and family, ‘Nobody should spend their last days in this sort of constant agony.’
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<div>Anyone who knew John knows that he loved his wife, kids, family, friends and was excited for the future often stating that the best years were ahead of him. When their first child was born in Japan, John couldn't attend the birth due to the pandemic, and their daughter was immediately admitted to the NICU. So, when they found out Yumeno was pregnant again, he was extremely excited to be there for the birth in August.
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<div>Ultimately, unable to escape this severe brain condition, and suffering from chronic panic disorder and insomnia, he passed away alone, without anyone by his side.
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<div>We feel terribly let down by the health care system and were left to deal with this alone even though all the experts were told how dark his thoughts had become. In the future, we will all be more active in fighting for change.
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<div>Our world has been completely shattered in the space of eight weeks and those sweet girls will never have the chance to know what a kind, funny and brave man John was.
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<div>This fundraiser has been set up to support John’s daughters and wife. We would like his family to use the money however they see fit, whether it be for the memorial, to assist with any unexpected financial expenses arising from the death or help with his daughters’ futures.
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<div>Best friend, Joe.
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<div>大変悲しいお知らせとなりますが、私たちの素晴らしい友人であるジョン・バルソンが他界しました。
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<div>ジョンは、3歳の娘と8月に生まれる予定の娘の愛情深い父親でした。彼は妻であり親友でもある夢乃の夫でした。彼は素晴らしい息子であり、兄弟であり、友人でもありました。彼のユーモア溢れる性格や、サッカー、料理、ボクシング、ハイキング、自然、レスリング、旅行、そして家族や友人への愛を私たちはいつまでも忘れません。
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<div>ジョンは勤勉で仕事は真面目にこなし、8週間前までは健康そのものでした。しかし、ある日職場で立ち上がった際に突然めまいを引き起こしました。恐ろしいことに、このめまいに加え、頭痛の痛み、不眠状態が24時間、週7日間休みなくひっきりなしに続くことになりました。
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<div>病気のためにやむなく仕事を辞めた後、彼は治療に専念しました。かかりつけの医者を訪ね、耳鼻咽喉科にかかり、私費でのMRIスキャンを行い、神経科医や前庭専門医に相談とリハビリを受け、精神科医、セラピスト、NHSの精神衛生（メンタルヘルス）危機チームにかかり、緊急入院もし、リフレクソロジー、鍼治療、ヘッドマッサージ、瞑想、食事療法に加えて様々な鎮痛剤や鎮静剤などにも助けを求めました。
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<div>このような努力にもかかわらず、彼の症状は深刻化し、サッカーやボクシングやストレス発散となっていた全てのスポーツだけでなく、日常の簡単な作業さえ痛みの為困難になってしまいました。彼は料理、読書、執筆、ピアノ演奏、音楽鑑賞、ランニング、水泳、テレビ視聴、コンピューターや電話の使用、簡単な家事もできなくなりました。唯一できたのは、週に三日娘を徒歩で保育園に送り迎えすることだけでした。ちょっとした散歩でさえ彼には大きな痛みを伴いましたが、娘への愛情からなんとか彼女の前では笑顔で付き添いを続けていました。
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<div>私たちは、ジョンが苦痛からほんの1分でも解放されるためなら、いくらでも投資する覚悟がありました。彼はその痛みを「人が想像しうる中で最も残酷な罰」だと言い表していました。
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<div>ジョンの人生の最後の4週間は、連日厳しく辛いものでした。家族は彼に希望と前向きな気持ちを持つよう言い聞かせ、治療法はきっと見つけると励まし続けて彼と共に病気と立ち向かってきました。ですが彼の体重は短期間で激減し、精神的にも急速に悪化しました。一分一秒が苦闘である中、ジョンは彼の全力で頭の激しい痛みに抗いました。彼は友人・家族に「このように延々と続く苦しみは誰も味わうべきではない。」と話していました。
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<div>ジョンを知っている人なら誰でも、彼が妻、子供、家族、友人を愛し、未来に希望を持って生きていたことを知っています。彼はよく、これからが彼の人生の最良の時期になると言っていました。最初の娘が日本で生まれた当時はコロナ禍だったため、ジョンは出産に立ち会うことができず、そして娘は出生後すぐにNICU（新生児集中治療室）に入院してしまいました。そして今回、夢乃が再び妊娠したと分かった時、彼は8月の出産に立ち会えることをとても心待ちにしていました。
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<div>しかし最終的に、この重篤な脳の病気から逃れることができず、慢性的なパニック障害と不眠症に苦しみながら、誰にも看取られず天国へと旅立ってしまいました。
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<div>私たちはこの国の医療制度に非常に失望しています。ジョンの悲惨な症状について専門家に切実に訴えたにもかかわらず、結局充分な支援を受けられないまま、自分たちだけでこの状況に対処せざるを得ませんでした。この悲惨な体験を通して、今後私たちはこのような体制に対し、警鐘を鳴らす活動を行っていくつもりでもいます。
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<div>この8週間の間にジョンの家庭の秩序は完全に崩壊しました。彼の愛した娘たちは、今後ジョンがどんなに優しく、ユーモラスで、立派な人物だったかを同じ一生の時間の中で知ることはできません。
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<div>この募金活動は、ジョンの娘たちと妻を助けるために設立されました。一家の大黒柱が身重の妻を残して逝ってしまい、経済的にも家族はとても大きな不安を抱えています。彼の追悼や今後の経済的負担での支援、そして娘たちの未来のためにこの支援金を使ってもらいたいと考えています。
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<div>友人代表　ジョー・シッキング 翻訳：新村愛花（新村夢乃　姉）
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In loving memory of John

platform

Platform is iOS

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In loving memory of John

Still £28,705 to go. Help us build momentum.