BIG-HEARTED Borussia Dortmund star Marwin Hitz has taken time off between matches to donate stem cells to a stranger battling leukaemia.
DKMS Germany uploaded a photograph to Instagram at the weekend showing Dortmund’s Swiss goalkeeper in a hospital bed preparing to donate.
Hitz, 33, has been at Dortmund since 2018, playing 26 times in all competitions this term.
But he made his biggest contribution this season donating stem cells in the fight against leukaemia.
He declared: “I have a family of my own, I have children.
“If I imagined that one of them would develop blood cancer, I would be incredibly grateful for any suitable donor.
“Against this background, it was a matter to help when I was told that I might be the suitable donor for a person suffering from blood cancer.
“The entire procedure is painless and, to be honest, not worth mentioning.”
Hitz registered as a donor while playing for old club Wolfsburg.
And after being told he was a match for a stranger battling leukaemia, Hitz jumped at the chance to help out.
Hitz penned a new two-year contract last month after ousting Roman Burki as the club’s No1.
And reports claim Hitz could be set to continue as Dortmund’s first-choice keeper under new boss Marco Rose next season.
The current Gladbach gaffer is said to be impressed with Hitz, as well as Dortmund’s other goalie Burki, and doesn’t see the need to splash out on a new stopper.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
