Things were looking good for Chiaki Hara at the start of 2005. She was an accomplished actress, having starred in the 1997 tragic romance "Shitsurakuen" ("Lost Paradise") and 2002' drama "Aiki," and her profile as a social commentator was also on the rise. Then, at the age of 30, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer.
After undergoing surgery to remove part of her womb she went back to work, but sadly had a recurrence four years later that meant having to undergo a total hysterectomy.
It was a harrowing time for the former "Clarion Girl," but rather than letting the illness defeat her she decided to do something positive and in 2011 formed Yotsuba no Kai, a volunteer organization aimed at supporting young women who, like her, have been affected by cancer.