Dream First Pitch Realized! Childhood Cancer Survivor to Take the Mound on May 5th at Saitama Seibu Lions Game [Alnet Home]
Alnet Home (Taiga Construction) will host 'Alnet Home KIDS THE DAY' on May 5, 2026, during a Saitama Seibu Lions game. A 14-year-old childhood cancer survivor will throw the first pitch to celebrate Children's Day and support kids facing serious illnesses.
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- 📰 Published: April 28, 2026 at 20:10
- 🔍 Collected: April 28, 2026 at 11:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 28, 2026 at 14:58 (3h 26m after Collected)
Taiga Construction Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Omiya-ku, Saitama City; President: Ryo Suga), the developer of Alnet Home custom houses, will host the Saitama Seibu Lions vs. Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks game on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, as 'Alnet Home KIDS THE DAY' in celebration of Children's Day.
In recent years, Alnet Home has sponsored games on Children's Day with the theme of 'supporting children's dreams.' This year, with the desire to provide a stage where children can shine, the company invited one child for the first pitch and one for the flower presentation ceremony from among 553 children supported by the Certified NPO Shine On! Kids, along with a total of 23 families for game attendance.
What is Shine On! Kids?
Shine On! Kids supports children fighting childhood cancer and other serious illnesses in hospitals across Japan through innovative psychological care programs. They provide support through the long journey from diagnosis and treatment to life after discharge, working to give children courage and bring smiles to their faces. Alnet Home resonates with this mission and invited families to watch the game last year. This year, the company expanded the opportunity to include the first pitch and flower presentation to broaden the 'dream stage' for these children.
[First Pitch] A 10-year milestone since cancer treatment. 'Carrying the thoughts of those who couldn't recover like me.'
The first pitch will be thrown by 14-year-old Hinano Noji, who participated in the game attendance last year. Hinano was diagnosed with childhood cancer at age 1.5 and completed 2.5 years of treatment. This year marks her 10th anniversary since the end of treatment. 'I remember meeting my brother through the glass when I was hospitalized as a toddler. This spring, I heard from my doctor about my illness and things to be careful about in the future, facing my past for the first time. Among 2,000 pediatric cancer patients annually, many cannot go home. I am alive because of medical professionals and those who supported me. I want to participate with a heart full of gratitude,' she shared.
[Flower Presentation Ceremony Before the Game]
The presentation ceremony will be performed by 16-year-old Ayaka Watanabe. While Ayaka was fighting osteosarcoma at Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, she received a TV from Kuriyama of the Saitama Seibu Lions, which turned painful hospital life into fun family time watching DVDs. Since then, she has been a passionate baseball fan. As Kuriyama is retiring this season, Ayaka expressed a strong wish to see him one last time. Alnet Home selected her for the ceremony to act as a bridge for her dream.
[Game Attendance]
Twenty-three families were invited to watch the game. One participant, 11-year-old Sosuke Nozaki, said, 'I love baseball and play catch with my dad, but the doctor told me to avoid sports that lead to big injuries due to my illness. I can't play seriously, but I'm happy just to be involved.'
Supporting Children Through Sports
As part of its efforts toward SDG goals, Alnet Home engages in regional revitalization through sports, including sponsoring the Saitama Seibu Lions. An administrator from Shine On! Kids noted, 'Children who usually don't appear on our event lists applied for this, showing the incredible power of baseball. Even children who are hesitant to go out want to experience the fun of such an event.' Alnet Home believes that sports can give children dreams and hope and aims to maximize this power to expand their future possibilities. On the day of the game (May 5th), a raffle for goods signed by players will be held, and original clear files will be distributed to the first 20,000 visitors.
In recent years, Alnet Home has sponsored games on Children's Day with the theme of 'supporting children's dreams.' This year, with the desire to provide a stage where children can shine, the company invited one child for the first pitch and one for the flower presentation ceremony from among 553 children supported by the Certified NPO Shine On! Kids, along with a total of 23 families for game attendance.
What is Shine On! Kids?
Shine On! Kids supports children fighting childhood cancer and other serious illnesses in hospitals across Japan through innovative psychological care programs. They provide support through the long journey from diagnosis and treatment to life after discharge, working to give children courage and bring smiles to their faces. Alnet Home resonates with this mission and invited families to watch the game last year. This year, the company expanded the opportunity to include the first pitch and flower presentation to broaden the 'dream stage' for these children.
[First Pitch] A 10-year milestone since cancer treatment. 'Carrying the thoughts of those who couldn't recover like me.'
The first pitch will be thrown by 14-year-old Hinano Noji, who participated in the game attendance last year. Hinano was diagnosed with childhood cancer at age 1.5 and completed 2.5 years of treatment. This year marks her 10th anniversary since the end of treatment. 'I remember meeting my brother through the glass when I was hospitalized as a toddler. This spring, I heard from my doctor about my illness and things to be careful about in the future, facing my past for the first time. Among 2,000 pediatric cancer patients annually, many cannot go home. I am alive because of medical professionals and those who supported me. I want to participate with a heart full of gratitude,' she shared.
[Flower Presentation Ceremony Before the Game]
The presentation ceremony will be performed by 16-year-old Ayaka Watanabe. While Ayaka was fighting osteosarcoma at Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, she received a TV from Kuriyama of the Saitama Seibu Lions, which turned painful hospital life into fun family time watching DVDs. Since then, she has been a passionate baseball fan. As Kuriyama is retiring this season, Ayaka expressed a strong wish to see him one last time. Alnet Home selected her for the ceremony to act as a bridge for her dream.
[Game Attendance]
Twenty-three families were invited to watch the game. One participant, 11-year-old Sosuke Nozaki, said, 'I love baseball and play catch with my dad, but the doctor told me to avoid sports that lead to big injuries due to my illness. I can't play seriously, but I'm happy just to be involved.'
Supporting Children Through Sports
As part of its efforts toward SDG goals, Alnet Home engages in regional revitalization through sports, including sponsoring the Saitama Seibu Lions. An administrator from Shine On! Kids noted, 'Children who usually don't appear on our event lists applied for this, showing the incredible power of baseball. Even children who are hesitant to go out want to experience the fun of such an event.' Alnet Home believes that sports can give children dreams and hope and aims to maximize this power to expand their future possibilities. On the day of the game (May 5th), a raffle for goods signed by players will be held, and original clear files will be distributed to the first 20,000 visitors.