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If you haven’t noticed, we love the crane. This fabled bird is said to live for 1000 years and has become a symbol of life, longevity, and happiness in Japanese culture. With so much good fortune associated with the crane, it quickly became the most popular and iconic piece of origami for people to fold.
But it didn’t stop there.
According to legend, folding 1000 origami cranes results in a wish. It’s said that each folded piece represents a year of the crane’s life and when someone completes all 1000, the sacred crane grants their wish.
Through the years thousands of people have taken on this challenge to wish for love, fortune, or fame. Others completed the cranes as a gift, offering a wish to loved ones for weddings or birthdays.
Most famous to undertake this challenge was Sadako Sasaki. As a twelve-year-old girl she was diagnosed with leukemia after being exposed to radiation from the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. With little access to paper but a lot of determination, she managed to fold 644 cranes before passing away within the year. Touched by Sadako, her classmates folded the rest of the cranes and buried all 1000 with her. Following her death, a statue of her was erected at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in remembrance of all the innocent lives taken by war. Today, her memory serves as a symbol of hope and her story continues to inspire people to wish for a better future. One of peace, love, happiness, healing, and community.
Sadako’s powerful story also inspired us.
Her legacy pushed us to give back and make a difference for others, specifically pediatric patients fighting cancer (just like Sadako). As a cancer patient today, so many aspects of life become turbulent after a diagnosis. With uncertainty physically, emotionally, and mentally, it can be so difficult to stay hopeful during treatment.
However, hope is an integral part of the healing process. It is the belief that things will get better and that positive outcomes lie ahead. It engenders resilience which leads to recovery. And for children, it can be one of the most powerful weapons against cancer.
Because of this, we wanted to bring together a community to create hope, just like Sadako’s classmates did.
With every 1000 OURAgami hats sold, we grant the wish of a pediatric cancer patient. This dose of hope can affect a patient’s outcome by changing their perspective on treatment.
Every single hat we sell is tied to a child in recovery. We are forming a community than can bring healing to a patient in the form of hope.
Join us as we fight cancer 1000 strong.
Join the 1000.
