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Dorfchemnitz father fights for new happiness in life after leukemia!
Tobias Wittig from Dorfchemnitz overcomes leukemia thanks to stem cell donation. His courage to live and his family give hope.
Dorfchemnitz father fights for new happiness in life after leukemia!
Tobias Wittig, a 39-year-old father from Dorfchemnitz, has successfully battled leukemia. Six months ago he received a stem cell donation, which enabled him to return to life. “Being with my wife Janin and our three sons is balm for the soul,” he describes his joy at the small but valuable moments that he can now enjoy again. Slowly but surely his immune system is rebuilding, although he still has to be careful not to become infected with bacteria or fungi that could be dangerous to him.
The process of stem cell donation, which is often unavoidable in the case of blood cancer, can make the difference between life and death for many patients. Every year around 22,000 people in Germany die from leukemia. When conventional therapies such as chemotherapy no longer help, stem cell transplantation is often the last resort. This is necessary because blood stem cells are responsible for the production of all blood cells, as an expert from the Hematology Clinic explains. After chemotherapy treatment aimed at eliminating malignant cells, the donor's stem cells are transferred via infusion into the recipient's body, where they ideally grow in the bone marrow.
The role of stem cell donors
The need for stem cell donors is undeniable, but finding a suitable donor depends on various cell characteristics. Young donors in particular significantly increase the chances of the transplant being successful. Unfortunately, the German Bone Marrow Donor Registry (DKMS) has recently seen a decline in registered donors. Only 25 percent of registered donors are between 18 and 30 years old, even though they make up a whopping 65 percent of donations. This year around 150,000 people will leave the DKMS file due to age reasons, increasing the pressure to find new donors. Only about one percent of registered donors can actually be considered for a transplant.
Overall, it appears that the need for stem cell donors remains high. The challenges of finding suitable donors make the lives of patients like Tobias Wittig particularly difficult, but his recovery is a glimmer of hope for many other sufferers. His example makes it clear how important it is to register as a potential donor and perhaps even save lives.
Further information about stem cell donation and its importance can be found at ZDF Today, where the described aspects of the procedure and the need for donors are explained in more detail. Readers can also read more about Tobias Wittig's personal story at Freie Presse.