Underwater Transformation About Face Underwater Transformation About Face

Talks@Google

about, Underwater Healer About Face
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Talks@Google It was an incredible experience to be at Google speaking for Talks@Google and share my passion and stories to Googlers! Super nervous face... Youtube video is up online and on Google website! I hope you are curious about the underwater world! Please contact me to find out more and sign up for your portrait session. A portion of the session feel will go towards underwater transformative photography project. Underwater portrait photography has psychological benefits for cancer survivors, domestic violence survivors, people with PTSD, and physical disabilities. Everybody deserves to experience a life-changing underwater transformation and feel...

A tattoo magazine, Inked!!

art show, Underwater Healer About Face
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"Meet the woman who has pioneered a transformative therapy practice and empowers people with underwater portraits as they struggle through their physical and mental turmoil." – Inked I'm happy to announce that my work was published on Inked, a tattoo magazine November issue!! It was an emotional reminder to share my story. I also talked a little bit about my inks in the article :) It means a lot if you guys read it. Please go grab your copy...

Grand Cayman Trip Report 2018

Travel, uw portrait
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YES! Adios America! My travel buddies. #titosodanoice DAY 1 Arrived in Grand Cayman after 12 hours. Immigration officers were so kind at the airport. One of them were so happy to find out I'm Japanese because she is watching Japanese Animation to learn Japanese. She practiced a little with me while other people were waiting in line stressed... I washed my face and jumped in the pool right away! Pool is not heated but it's not necessary. It was warmer than 90F!! Iguanas are every where on the island... The resort has a scuba dive shop and the dock is right outside! I can't wait for tomorrow morning! Reef Divers in Grand Cayman First sunset. ...and I can have my dinner, Wahoo fish with this beautiful background! DAY 2! Morning dives begins at 7:45am. I woke up every morning at 5am to set up my camera so I have enough time to chill before we took off. Beautiful morning from the boat... I felt SO good! It was awesome to be back in the water for sure. After diving, I had an appointment with Jim Catlin, an underwater photographer to master a new skill, split shot!! 2 hours flew by so quick! I tested out my new knowledge few days later. Photos coming soon. I still need to practice more! After that, I had a different appointment with Jennifer Weber, an operation manager at Cayman Islands Cancer Society. We are collaborating an underwater transformative photo project with 4 children and 1 adult who survived from Cancer. I'm meeting them at the resort in...

Medical conference 2017

about, art show, Underwater Healer About Face
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It was one of my dreams to be part of medical/health field. My work was displayed at a medical conference!! They look gorgeous!! Thank you for your continuous support! ガン関連のメディカルコンフェレンスで 私の作品とバックストーリーがギャラリーに飾られました!3年連続での サポートありがとうございます?!! Please read a story of a breast cancer survivor, JoAnn. Please read a story of a stomach cancer survivor, Steve, a breast cancer survivor Kim and a testicular cancer survivor Scott Please read a story of a thyroid cancer survivor Pauline and a brain cancer survivor...

Academy of Art University

Underwater Healer About Face
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Back in 2001, I graduated from Academy of Art University as a New Media major. And few month ago I was interviewed by the editor from AAU and it was published! I was so happy to see the article! The article is online now! Please check it out! "Ever since she was a little girl, Erena Shimoda fantasized about being a mermaid and calling the ocean her home. As an adult, she felt like her childhood dream had almost come true the first time she went scuba diving during a trip to Honduras 14 years ago. "  - See more at:...

Underwater Healer About Face in Florida!

Travel, Underwater Healer About Face
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I'll be in Florida from 2/10-2/15! Arriving at night on the 10th and leaving early in the morning of the 15th. Super short trip but I want to make the best out of this trip! I'm excited! Originally, I was not going to work BUT that never happened for me :) I just LOVE working with cancer survivors, sharing stories and making beautiful memories together. Les is 52 years old and was born and raised in Maryland. He lives in Florida for the last 30 years. He is a 2 time cancer survivor (skin and lung cancer) He used to go scalloping every season. He says, "One reason I want to do this, if I can be truthful, is because I'm kind of worried about getting back underwater since I have only 1 1/2 lungs and no idea how long I can hold my breath anymore. The second reason is because I haven't done anything just for me since cancer took my life and I don't have any pictures of myself! I also want to make my daughters proud :)" Amber grew up in Hot Springs Arkansas and spent time in Ketchikan Alaska as a teenager. Then she lived in Alabama for 14 years until she moved to Florida. She was diagnosed with PTSD and Colorectal Cancer. She has also been left with a colostomy bag and that is a constant pull at her feelings of beauty and causes much doubt and sadness. She says, "I hope to have the opportunity to...

Stop by this Saturday – UCSF cancer event, Taste for the Cure

about, art show
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Taste for the Cure: A Taste of Science I'm excited to announce that I'm a part of UCSF event on Saturday, 10/1. I'll be showing Underwater Healer About Face to cancer survivors, fighters and supporters at the table . Please stop by and say hello!  Click here to find out! In Honor of Debby Hamolsky, RN, MS In the spirit of Debby’s decades of commitment to emotional and educational support for women with breast cancer, our panel topics will focus on personalized screening and treatment and living well during and after cancer. Between panels, join us for science demonstrations, healthy food tastings, and updates on trials and programs available through the Breast Care Center. This educational event is free and open to all. After nearly 30 years at UCSF, nurse coordinator Debby Hamolsky is leaving us for her next adventure. Please join the UCSF Carol Franc Buck Breast Care Center in honoring her legacy with a day exploring food, science, and breast...

Meet Sara, a breast cancer survivor

Underwater Healer About Face
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I had an amazing day working with an adorable couple who wanted to celebrate their 10 anniversary under water and after that, I got to work with a beautiful breast cancer survivor, Sara. She was born and grew up in the south bay, and have been living in San Francisco most of her adult life, other than going to Berkeley for undergrad and UCLA for law school.She was iagnosed breast cancer in December 2015, when she was 38. After the photo shoot, she said, "I totally would recommend underwater portrait to other survivors! For survivors, I think it's an experience that can help you feel strong and confident again, especially because Erena was so warm and encouraging. It is a nice escape from thinking about cancer. It also is a moment where you can feel like you're in control and you're guiding the concept and deciding what to do, instead of being told what's happening to you and your body by doctors. It's a fun "appointment," instead of all the mandatory doctor appointments that poke and prod you. I think it also would be a great experience for anyone, not just survivors. It is such a unique, artistic experience and different way of seeing yourself." Thank you so much, Sara for being a part of this beautiful project to inspire other survivors and everyone in the world. Her underwater transformative images are stunning! I can't wait to show them to you...

My Survival Story

Underwater Healer About Face
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My Survival Story I was so happy to meet Martin and Katarina from Switzerland last week! They are traveling the world to capture cancer survival stories for their project, My Survival Story. They contacted me several months ago through Skype. They wanted me to be a part of their project to inspire other survivors. One of the survivors, Tina said, "Survivors need survivors to survive." I was excited to share my story, beautiful images of survivors and how underwater portrait photography heals survivors' emotional scars. I loved hanging out with them. It's been awhile... to be interviewed... since the NBC show! We met a breast cancer survivor, Betsy from San Jose, CA. She is a NP at Stanford hospital. This is also my 3rd breast cancer survivor with a nurse background. May be their work schedule and stress caused cancer...  Martin and Katarina interviewed her before the photo shoot. Betsy told me she doesn't usually wear make up. She is beautiful with or without it :) She did amazing work under water!! After underwater photo shoot with Betsy, I asked her how she felt underwater... Pictures are coming soon!! Then I took a photo of Martin and Katarina! Photos are coming soon! They were fascinated by how dreamy the photos look :) Before they came to San Francisco, they were in San Diego to meet Scott and Mandy! I met them in March for my Underwater Healer project. Scott is a 2 time testicular cancer survivors and he froze his perm when he was 21 yrs old. His...

Nou Magazine

Uncategorized
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Happy Thursday! This week has just flown by. It’s been another fantastic week - I’m so happy to share with you all that NOU Magazine, an online cancer magazine for cancer survivors, featured my work! I submitted an essay entitled “Healing Effects of Water – One Cancer Survivor’s Way of Helping Others Heal” and was thrilled when the contacted me to tell me they had chosen it to publish! NOU Magazine is part of the Women Survivors Alliance, and event who’s mission is to establish a network where women affected by cancer can find their voice, improve their quality of life, and embrace their 2nd Acts. They empower, educate, and connect women whose lives have been touched by cancer. Their publication, NOU Magazine, is not just an online magazine or blog, it’s a digital community that gives cancer survivorship a voice - written and spoken - all over the world. It’s a wonderful place that shares motivational stories of female survivors sharing their gifts of life and experience with the world. They want to move people. They want to amuse people. But most of all, they want to motivate. They motivate others to find themselves again after cancer. It was very much a perfect fit to share my story with NOU Magazine. My aim is to help cancer survivors experience the healing effects of water immersion and to encourage survivors to see themselves as beautiful through portraits. I assist them with their own transformation, just as NOU Magazine aims to assist...