Interview with Hiroyuki Kishi, Professor, Keio University Graduate School “Fighting a Severe Disease? For me, it’s an interesting experience!”

I never thought I would contract such a troublesome disease. I never thought I would get this kind of troublesome disease. Even if I get treatment this time, I don’t know what will happen 10 years from now. I thought I was in trouble.

On July 24 this year, he appeared on “Zenryoku! (Fuji TV), announced that he had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma.

I’ve been learning martial arts for the past 10 years, and I’ve been doing ‘Dwayne Johnson-style training,’ changing the parts of my body that I work on each day of the week. Even so, I had been feeling strangely tired since the end of last year, and I thought something was wrong.

Sensing something was wrong with his body, Kishi underwent a physical examination in January of this year. He was recommended to undergo a hematology examination, which led to the discovery of his illness. He began treatment immediately.

It had been five years since I had a physical examination,” he said. I was lucky that it took less than two weeks from the time I was told that I was suspected of having a disease until the start of treatment. When you are told that you are suspected of having a disease, you do your own research and become anxious on your own (laughs).

At the end of July of this year, he began treatment with anticancer drugs.

I was attacked by intense nausea,” he said. For five days after taking the drug, I was unable to eat anything, but my doctor was surprised at how quickly the nausea subsided.

Some people suffer from this nausea for two to three weeks. Although Mr. Kishi is a tough man, he was also affected by another side effect.

A few days after receiving the anticancer drug, my hair started falling out. I had shaved my head 3 mm before that, but it was still super unpleasant to see my hair falling out (laughs). But I wasn’t shocked at the way it looked. Looking at the reactions of those around me, I could get used to the idea of my uncle having a bald spot in five minutes.”

Multiple myeloma, the disease that affected Mr. Kishi, is said to be difficult to cure completely, with 60% of patients dying within five years of treatment. Even the treatment of such a disease can be seen as an interesting experience, Kishi said.

This time, I went bald. It’s something I never expected in my life, but I’m a scholar now, so I’m the type of person who gets excited about unknown experiences. I have also been exposed to the atmosphere in the field of variety shows, where even when happenings occur, people find them amusing. I think it is very important to make fun of everything.

During his hospitalization, Teppei Arita (52), the main anchor of “Dekiryoku Times,” sent him words of encouragement, saying, “I am waiting for your return to the show.

This time, Mr. Kishi was hospitalized for only four weeks. The hospital explained to him that he would be able to live for 10 years if he received treatment this time, but he will continue to live with his intractable disease.

At first, when I was told that I had a life-threatening disease, it didn’t really hit me. I was so busy with my work that I never thought about what I had left to do, and I had always wanted to live a short and fat life.
When I became ill, I realized once again that I should live my life more cheerfully and as I please. When I think about it, I think that, surprisingly, 10 more years will be enough in my case.

We look forward to the rampage of “Shin” Hiroyuki Kishi.

From the September 15 and 22, 2023 issues of FRIDAY