Kai’s Story

Site created on November 15, 2008

Welcome to our CaringBridge site. It has been created to keep friends and family updated about Kai. He was diagnosed at age 23 mos. and again at age 6 with ependymoma, a kind of brain tumor. Kai is an amazing young man and an inspiration to all who meet him.


My name is Kai Sakamoto Hardesty. I will turn 19 years old this fall. I have a younger brother named Ken; we share the same birthday but are two years apart. I love cribbage, music, doing arts and crafts, and especially designing and building machines like a working hovercraft I can ride and remote control robots that I design, build, and install the electronics. Just before my second birthday, I was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor, ependymoma. I had a 14 hour surgery to remove it and then went through 6 weeks of radiation treatment at St Jude. I had clean scans for 4 years. On Tuesday November 11th, 2008 my scan indicated my tumor has recurred. I had surgery at Le Bonheur on November 26 and successfully removed this tumor even though I suffered a stroke. I went through six weeks of cranial spinal radiation at St Jude. At the end of the radiation treatment, I showed signs of radiation injury, so I did eight weeks of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. I have recovered from cancer twice as well as the damage caused by the treatments. I graduated with honors from high school last June and am now ready for college. "I want for everybody to be healthy and happy," Kai says. 

Newest Update

What to do when you’re waiting

Journal entry by David Hardesty —

So it’s been three weeks since Kai had surgery, and we are still waiting on a final pathology report. For anybody who’s been in this position, the not knowing what your next steps should be, if any, can be incredibly challenging. We have a preliminary report from Le Bonheur but are still waiting on St Jude. St Jude looks at lots of specific genetic markers, and Kai’s case will be presented at conference today. 
Meanwhile, it is important to make the most out of every day. Kai got a really nice 3D printer for his birthday, so he has been printing things like interlocking puzzles, Grogu, and yesterday was a Tesla truck that he designed from scratch on the computer, and it came out very nicely. 
Today we decided to take a drive in the Columbia Gorge. We drove up to Vista House for the panorama view. Then we continued on Hwy 30 to Latourell Falls with its beautiful lichen, Wahkeena Falls, and then to Multnomah Falls. When we arrived at Multnomah Falls, it started pouring rain, so we decided to start heading home and have lunch on the way. What a great way to spend the day. 
Read More of the journal titled "What to do when you’re waiting "
Patients and caregivers love hearing from you; add a comment to show your support.
Help Kai Stay Connected to Family and Friends

A $30 donation to CaringBridge powers a site like Kai's site for one month. Will you make a gift to help ensure that this site stays online for them and for you?

Leave a comment of support for Kai

Did you know? A quick comment, no matter the situation (positive or negative), can boost morale by 28.2%.

Comments Hide comments

Load more comments
Read More Journal Entries

Show Your Support

See the Ways to Help page to get even more involved.

Personal Fundraiser
Support Links
Helpful Requests
Go to Ways to Help
SVG_Icons_Back_To_Top
Top