Willi Orban to be stem cell donor
The defender joins fight against blood cancer as stem cell donor | Stem cell harvesting on Wednesday | Register as a donor now
On the pitch, Willi Orban is noted for his commitment, tackling ability and passion. He is an exemplary professional who takes care of his diet, fitness and psychology. The 30-year-old also looks at the bigger picture off the pitch.
There are, of course, more important things than football. We can all do little things to help others and our small actions can even help save lives.
Stem cell harvesting on Wednesday
Since 2017, Willi Orban has been registered with the DKMS (German national bone marrow donor registry). He was recently found as a match for a blood cancer sufferer and he could now give another human being a second chance.
Our defender will undergo a peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) donation in Dresden on Wednesday 8th February. It is a simple procedure and in 90% of cases, they can be used to help the patient. A bone marrow harvest is required in 10% of cases.
Since Saturday, in preparation for the stem cell harvest, Willi has been taking special injections in order to increase the number of stem cells in the bloodstream.
The process is similar to dialysis, in that the blood is extracted via two veins in the crooks of each arm. The stem cells are then harvested and the blood is then directly pumped back into the body via the other arm.
Out of team training
As a result, Orban has been out of team training since Sunday and has been working individually. It is unclear as to whether he can feature in the game against Union on Saturday, 11th February, 18:30 CET. The process is being conducted in close collaboration with the national and international doping authorities.
I have the chance to potentially save another person’s life
Willi Orban:
“Of course I was surprised when I received the info that I was a match. I without a doubt wanted to make the donation as soon as possible. I have the chance to potentially save another person’s life with very little effort. It was a no brainer. I hope my donation will help the recipient to recover from their illness.
I might of course miss the Union game but even with my sporting ambitions, football is of secondary importance. Those who know me know that I will do everything I can in order to rejoin the team as soon as possible. I hope this inspires more people to register. The process was really simple and I feel like I’ve been very well looked after. My example shows that it makes total sense to register."
Willi Orban interview: "I am a little obsessed"
Join the fight against blood cancer!
Everyone single one of us can follow Willi’s example. All you need to do is register on the DKMS Website as a potential donor. You will then receive a testing kit within a couple of days and you can return a swab sample free of charge. You will then be registered and you could help save a life. Upon registration with the DKMS, you could be found as a match worldwide.
Register here:
➛ https://www.dkms.de/registrieren
Further information: