NAGOYA ¨C Chunichi Dragons pitcher Hiroto Fuku cut his hair, which he had grown for three years, after his Central League club finished its interleague slate against the Pacific League in June.

It was not that Fuku, 33, was preparing for a scorching summer, but that he was going to donate his long hair for wigs for children who lost their hair due chiefly to cancer.

¡°I know a wig needs hair donation by not only a single person but by a number of people, but I¡¯ll be happy if my only slight contribution helps make a wig for someone,¡± he said.

Inspired by the footage of other players¡¯ various charity activities, Fuku began to support children with cancer, as well as children with hearing impairments.

Giving those children a push is his ikigai, or something to live for, he noted.

Promoting assistance for them is ¡°the reason why I keep playing,¡± he said after re-signing with the Dragons last month.

The left-hander took the mound in more than 50 games for three consecutive seasons from 2019 and won the best reliever title in 2020. But this season, he was hit in his left knee by a ball and was able to pitch only in 17 games.

Also pointing out that his appearances have become fewer since he underwent surgery in 2022 for ossification of the yellow ligament, a nationally designated intractable disease, Fuku stressed, ¡°I want to go the extra mile.¡±

As part of his charity activity, Fuku has invited deaf school students to his games. Although there have been mishaps involving children he became acquainted with, he finds it important to take another step forward and help each other. ¡°I have a sense of mission to carry on,¡± Fuku noted.

To remain able to ¡°throw a pitch to cheer up struggling children,¡± Fuku is trying to improve his pitching form to make it harder for left-handed hitters to pick up his release point. He also plans to provide ¡°deeper support¡± for children with cancer and schools for the deaf.