In a challenging medical landscape peculiar to Japan, a massive surge of cancer patients is turning to hospitals for treatment, a journey that takes a toll both physically and emotionally. Amid this, a physical therapist's drawing talent has shone brightly as a beacon of emotional support, revealing the profound therapeutic potential of visualization. By capturing cherished memories, favorite scenes, meaningful connections onto a piece of paper as essential parts of each patient’s life story, Kazutaka Kawahara has painted a touching tale for each individual. Through his artistic approach, Kawahara has strengthened the spiritual ties between the patients and their close ones, providing a haven of reassurance and peace. His empathetic works have helped rekindle the wavering light of life in those braving their medical paths, allowing it to blaze vibrantly once more, even if briefly.

Through the interaction with an elderly female cancer patient, whose flickering lamp of life was close to being extinguished, Kawahara came to realize first the therapeutic effects of visualization in 2020. She had a heartfelt last wish. It was to go back to home and cook yakisoba, the stir-fried noodles with vegetables, her husband's favorite dish, one last time for him. All Kawahara could do was to bring her wish to life through a canvas, painting a scene where the couple was sharing grateful smiles in front of the dish, a silent yet eloquent tribute to their enduring bond. Just hours before her lamp no longer illuminated the darkness, her wish was immortalized in his artwork. Later discovering his painting alongside her photograph in the family shrine, he felt the consoling soul of art was residing in the heart of the grieving husband during times of loss.

Kawahara's transition to the emotional care division for cancer patients at Juntendo University Shizuoka Hospital, under the pandemic’s strict visitor regulations, has inspired him to tap into his drawing skills. With a decade-long career as a physical therapist, he has recognized the vital role of a consistent positive visualization in enhancing the immune system. His artistic skills have come into play when the patients have had a hard time envisioning their cherished memories or focusing their minds on uplifting and calming images. Engaging deeply with patients during their rehabilitation, Kawahara has guided them on soul searching journeys, helping them reflect on the values that shaped their personalities and their interpretations of life experiences. By encapsulating their core beliefs and values and unique essence in his brushstrokes, he has fortified the connections between patients and their families, especially at a time when hospital visits are restricted for health safety. His paintings have acted as bridges, carrying unspoken messages between confined patients and their loved ones kept at a distance.

Before 41-year-old Kawahara's art collection titled "Hikari-wo-tomosu-shima" (A Haven Honoring Life's lamp) was published as a picture book in March 2022 and being displayed at the Georia Museum in Izu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, his journey towards finding his mission was riddled with challenges. Kawahara was introverted and seldom communicated with others in his childhood. It wasn’t until his sense of drawing was recognized that he saw it as a gateway to expressing himself and connecting with the world. A pivotal moment in his life was meeting a physical therapist during his college years. Although he took a post-graduation job with a construction company, the lingering memory of the serendipitous encounter reawakened his gut feeling about his life’s direction. Driven by this intuition, he left the job and persevered through the national exams twice to become a licensed physical therapist.

Kawahara has perceived his life's mission as a harmonious dance between his passion for resonating with his patients' emotions and his inherent gift for drawing, reminiscent of a tango. While his gift lingered patiently, awaiting its perfect moment, his exploration into the depths of emotional intelligence shed a light on the journey he's destined to undertake as a sketching therapist. He says, “I'm truly blessed to be on this stage, swaying in a tango, bringing smiles to the faces of my patients.”