(August 5, 1999, The Chugoku Shimbun)

Dr. Bernard Simon, who treated 25 different women in 1995 affected by the Atomic Blast in Hiroshima, died Sunday from natural causes at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. He was 87 years old.

Dr. Simon treated the women named the "Hiroshima Girls" for a year and half by performing re-constructive surgery at Mount Sinai. These women were victims of the A-bomb, who suffered from the after-effects. In 1996, he met the girls again at a conference on international medical cooperation. He attended the conference held at the hospital as the only living surgeon, representing the three surgeons, who operated on the girls. "As a doctor, I'm filled with joy and take pride in our job that these girls called up all their courage to live their lives again after the operations", said the doctor.

One of the Hiroshima girls, Keiko Sasamori (age 67), who rushed to the hospital upon hearing about her former doctor's death was at a loss for words, but did manage to say, "He taught me the greatness of love and devotion."

The medical treatment program in the U.S. for the Hiroshima Girls was realized through the cooperation of both Japanese and American citizens. Hatsuko Yokoyama (age 89), who acted as the girls' mother and accompanied them during the medical treatment in the U.S., passed away last January. Tomin Harada (age 87), a doctor who attended the trip from Hiroshima, deceased last June. This was the last living person of the members who worked hard to implement this particular medical program.

Picture Caption: Dr. Simon looking happily celebrating his reunion with the "Hiroshima Girls", Misako Tachibana (left) and Keiko Sasamori (center). May, 1996, New York