Heidenheim and Freiburg unite for stem cell registration initiative

On Matchday 29 and 30, Heidenheim and Freiburg will team up with Germany Bone Marrow Donor Registry (DKMS) to organise three large registrations campaigns where people can sign up as stem cell donors following the recent leukemia diagnosis of Eren Dinkçi's partner, Cinja.

"From one moment to the next, everything was still. At the same time, a journey that we never could have imagined started," explains Dinkçi, currently on loan from Freiburg at Heidenheim, about Cinja's blood cancer diagnosis in January. Due to a lack of matches within her family she, like so many others, has to rely on a stem cell donation.

"Our goal is to pass something onto others out of our own personal experience," they shared. "We want to raise awareness and give as many people as possible a better chance of receiving a life-saving stem cell donation. Every single registration can make the crucial difference between hope and uncertainty."

In partnership with DKMS, Heidenheim and Freiburg will call for fans to register as stem-cell donors ahead of their Matchday 30 clash, while Heidenheim will do the same before their Matchday 31 game against St. Pauli. The registration, which will include a painless procedure involving three cheek swabs, is free and open to all healthy individuals aged between 17 and 55.

Registration centres:

• Freiburg: Sunday, 19 April, from 1.00pm CEST at Europa-Park Stadion (E1 beer garden "15:30" supporter's bar).
• Heidenheim: Saturday, 25 April, from 1.00 pm CEST at Voith-Arena (exact location to follow)

Anyone who is not able to make either registration, but would still like to sign up, can do so online at www.dkms.de/cinja. 

About the players

8

Eren

Dinkçi

1. FC Heidenheim 1846

About the clubs

Heidenheim

Voith-Arena

Freiburg

Europa-Park Stadion