February 08, (THEWILL) – RB Leipzig captain, Willi Orban, may miss the team’s upcoming Bundesliga match against Union Berlin due to a life-saving commitment.
On Wednesday, the defender will undergo a procedure to donate his stem cells to a patient suffering from blood cancer. Orban has been registered with the German national bone marrow donor registry, DKMS, since 2017 and has been taking special injections to increase the number of stem cells in his bloodstream.
The 30-year-old defender’s decision to make the donation is a testament to his commitment to helping others, even if it means sacrificing his own athletic goals. “Of course, I was surprised when I received the information that I was a match, but I wanted to make the donation as soon as possible,” Orban said in a statement. “I have the chance to potentially save another person’s life with very little effort. It was a no-brainer.”
Orban hopes his example will inspire more people to register with the DKMS, and he emphasised that the process is simple and well-supported. “I hope this inspires more people to register. The process was really simple and I feel like I’ve been very well looked after,” he said. “My example shows that it makes total sense to register.”
While he may miss the upcoming match, Orban remains focused on rejoining the team as soon as possible. “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.”
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
