“The rejection disease that has been bothering me for months cannot be stopped. After a previously successful stem cell transplant, the after-effects will eventually be fatal. The doctors can no longer do anything for me,” says Slegers in a statement on social media.
Slegers calls on his followers to register with Matchis as a stem cell donor and as a blood donor at Sanquin. “I can’t be helped anymore, but others can!”
After the call – distributed via Twitter yesterday afternoon – 450 new stem cell donors had registered this morning at 10:30 am, says a spokesperson for Matchis. “Despite the harrowing story behind it, it’s nice that someone manages to do that.” The Netherlands has a total of about 395,000 stem cell donors.
Uncertain
“My family and I thank you all for the support we received in recent years. That has done us very well,” says Slegers, who does not know how much time he has left. “For how long? Under what circumstances? We don’t know that now and that remains uncertain.”
“Very good luck Thijs, we are thinking of you. We will always support you”, PSV writes in response to the message that Slegers shared via Twitter yesterday afternoon. Other clubs, including Feyenoord, AZ and Ajax, also react sadly. “A lot of strength to you and your loved ones,” Feyenoord tweeted. AZ calls it ‘terrible news’. “A lot of strength in the coming time.”
What is Acute Leukemia?
In acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), there is an overproduction of immature B and T lymphocytes that displace normal blood production in the bone marrow. This causes anemia, there is an increased risk of infections and possibly bleeding.
Bone marrow is located in the hollow bones, especially in the pelvis, sternum, ribs and vertebrae. The production of blood cells takes place in the bone marrow. All the different blood cells (red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets) are formed there.
Every year, approximately 200 people in the Netherlands are diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Half of these are under the age of 18. Source: IKNL
