Amalia from Bremerhaven has blood cancer – acute leukemia. Only a suitable stem cell donation can save her life. Ice hockey fan Andreas Klaukien also knows what that means. He registered with a call from the Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven and actually donated stem cells a few months ago. In doing so, he gave a patient the chance of life. Now, together with the German national ice hockey team, which is currently in Riga for the World Cup, he is calling for registration www.dkms.de/amalia .
While the call for registration for the four-month-old Amalia is supported by companies, clubs, private individuals, organizations and not least by the city itself, Amalia and her family are now experiencing even more previously unimagined willingness to help. The national players of the DEB are calling for registration on the occasion of WBCD (World Blood Cancer Day). Below DEB-National coach Toni Söderholm, captain Moritz Müller and defenders Korbinian Holzer and Marco Nowak. “Amalia and many other people out there need our help. Lower yourself www.dkms.de/amalia Register with the DKMS. Helps save lives. Please.”, appeals Captain Moritz Müller. A strong sign that gives Amalia and her family the strength to continue on this path.
On May 28, 2021, DKMS will celebrate its 30th birthday. On the occasion of this anniversary and the annual campaign day World Blood Cancer Day (WBCD), the national players are calling their... Fans to register as a donor, to make a statement on social networks and to encourage their networks to register as well using the hashtags: #wbcd, #dkms, #30jahredkms, #deb, #eishockey, #nationalmannschaft
In the 2015/16 season there was already a cooperation between the DKMS and the German Ice Hockey League (DEL). At that time, over 25 people registered as potential stem cell donors at 5.000 games in the league. To date, 31 of them have been able to donate stem cells and thus the chance for life.
Andreas Klaukien, 49, knows what that is like. In January 2020, the ice hockey fan spontaneously got involved in a game of the Fischtown Pinguins Register Bremerhaven. The reason for the call was that one of them had blood cancer Fans the opposing team. After just a few months, the parish representative of the Catholic Church received a call from DKMS. “A few weeks before, I was thinking whether I would hear something at some point and then my cell phone rang in the office one morning. Of course I was totally surprised and couldn't believe it at first. But it was clear to me that this was important to someone’s survival and that I would do it,” says Andreas.
After extensive discussions and a preliminary examination in the collection clinic, the big day finally came. “You can imagine the donation as a blood wash,” reports the amateur musician. “Blood is taken from one arm and it comes back in from the other. It runs through a small machine that breaks down the blood into its components. I sat there on the armchair for about 3,5 hours and the staff there monitored and explained everything in a very friendly and professional manner. It wasn’t a big hassle for me and I would do it again any time.”
Amalia is also currently waiting for someone who can save her young life with his or her stem cells. No suitable donor has yet been found anywhere in the world for the little woman from Bremerhaven. It's still a very long road with many ups and downs for her and her family, combined with great fears, but also a lot of hope. Above all, I hope that many citizens will continue to take part in the campaign. Anyone who is healthy and between 17 and 55 years old can help Amalia and other patients and find out more with just a few clicks www.dkms.de/amalia order the registration documents to your home. It is important that the completely completed set is sent back to DKMS. Only then is registration successful!
Like Amalia, a person in the world is diagnosed with blood cancer every 27 seconds, and in Germany every twelve minutes. Many patients cannot survive without a life-saving stem cell donation and the search for suitable donors always begins a race against time. In this country alone, one in ten affected people still cannot find a suitable stem cell donor.
Further information is available on Facebook and Instagram at: komm_fuer_amalia
Monetary donations also help save lives, as the DKMS incurs costs of 35 euros for the admission of each donor.
DKMS donation account, Kreissparkasse Tübingen
IBAN: DE64 6415 0020 0000 2555 56
Intended use: LPS 790
About the DKMS:
DKMS is an international non-profit organization dedicated to the fight against blood cancer. Our goal is to give as many patients as possible a second chance at life. We are a global leader in providing patients with life-saving stem cell transplants. In addition to Germany, DKMS is active in the USA, Poland, UK, Chile, India and South Africa. Together we have registered over 10 million life donors. In addition, DKMS conducts scientific research and sets standards in the typing of new stem cell donors in its laboratory, the DKMS Life Science Lab.
You can find background information, images and many other stories for your reporting in our DKMS Media Center mediacenter.dkms.de.