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The Hungarian football player, captain of the RB Leipzig team should undergo an operation these days to donate his stem cells. He claims it’s an opportunity to “save a life with very little effort”.
Many personalities are committed to health causes. This time it was football player Willi Orban, 30, who made headlines after deciding to donate his stem cells to a sick patient. The opportunity, he says, to “save lives”.
The Hungarian defender could miss a league game
It was in 2017 that the captain of RB Leipzig decided to register with the health authorities to become a donor. But it wasn’t until earlier this week that he was contacted to undergo surgery.
“Jwas surprised when I learned that I was eligible as a donor. But I never had any doubts. This is an opportunity to save a human life with very little effort. I really hope that my donation can contribute to the complete recovery of the recipient“, explains the RB Leipzig player.
The operation – which consists of a removal of stem cells from his bone marrow – aims to treat a sick patient, awaiting this transplant.
“You could possibly save someone’s life. I wanted to help wherever I could!”
Willi Orban will donate stem cells tomorrow and explains how we can all do our bit ❤️ pic.twitter.com/xOaSriokf5
— RB Leipzig English (@RBLeipzig_EN) February 7, 2023
The only downside? The Hungarian defender could miss a league game, taking place three days after the operation.
“I risk missing the game against the Union now, but despite all my sporting ambition, it is secondary in this case. And those who know me know that I will do everything to quickly join the team“.
Sure of his decision, the football player even encouraged his fans on Instagram to become donors too. With this simple gesture,We can save lives“, he recalls. At the end of the operation, a meeting between Willi Orban and the receiver could be envisaged.
Each year, 2,000 people suffering from serious blood diseases, such as leukemia, lymphoma, but also other forms of less well-known blood pathologies (such as aplastic anemia) need to be treated with a blood transplant. bone marrow. Each bone marrow donor can thus offer a patient additional chances of recovery.
To register as a donor, you must go to a French blood establishment (EFS). You can be if you meet these three conditions:
- To be in perfect health
- Be between 18 and 35 years old
- Answer a medical questionnaire and take a biological sample (saliva sample or blood test during final registration) which will determine your biological identity card as a future donor. It will be recorded in the registry, which will identify possible compatibility with patients anonymously.