Lotte announced that Hiromi Oka outfielder and Kyota Fujiwara outfielder visited the pediatric ward of Tokyo University of Science Hospital on the same day and interacted with hospitalized children.

This visit came about because a boy hospitalized at the hospital is a big fan of Chiba Lotte Marines. The boy's doctor consulted with Koji Murofushi, Vice President of Tokyo University of Science, who then spoke with player Oka, with whom he has interacted during off-season training. After that, arrangements were made through the team, and the visit was realized.

On that day, in addition to meeting with the boy in question, the event also included interactions with other children hospitalized in the pediatric ward and their families. The players presented the boys with commemorative gifts and took photos, answered questions from the children, and played catch them, creating a friendly and relaxed atmosphere throughout the event.

The boy said, "Thank you for coming despite your busy schedule before the season starts. This has made my goal of overcoming treatment, recovering, and resuming baseball much clearer." His mother also expressed her gratitude, saying, "This has been a great encouragement to my son, who has gone through the pain and difficult times of treatment. Thank you so much."

▼ Comment from Koji Murofushi

"We are extremely pleased that we were able to make this opportunity a reality thanks to the cooperation of Chiba Lotte Marines. While daily treatment is by no means easy for the children hospitalized at our hospital, we hope that interacting with professional baseball players will lead to a more positive outlook and provide great encouragement."

▼Comment from player Hiromi Oka

"I am grateful for this precious opportunity, which came about through my connection with Koji Murofushi. I was so happy to see all the children greet me with smiles. I hope they had a fun time, and it was an unforgettable experience for me as well."

▼Comment from Kyota Fujiwara

"I myself had the opportunity to meet Koji Murofushi during off-season training, so I am very happy to have been able to witness this opportunity. The children were very cheerful and I felt energized by them, and I hope they had a fun time. If there is another opportunity like this, I would definitely like to participate again."