Berlin – It was an unforgettable moment with many tears of joy, warm hugs and happy faces: Annabel Rogotzki from Berlin and her family met the lifesaver of the now four-year-old in Bellevue Palace for the first time. A big wish came true for everyone. Annabel had blood cancer as a small child and was dependent on a stem cell donation. A suitable donor was found through a worldwide search: Fabian Danker (38) from Netphen in Siegerland. The godmother of the moving meeting two years later was Elke Büdenbender – for special reasons.
Annabel’s father, Marc Rogotzki (40) is an employee of the Office of the Federal President. Due to the professional proximity and her already existing commitment to the DKMS, she also learned Every Budenbender, wife of Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and “First Lady” of the nation, from the fate of the family. And there is one more thing in common: little Annabel’s lifesaver, Fabian Dancker, lives in Netphen in Siegerland; Elke Büdenbender grew up in a neighboring town. And so the idea was born to hold the first meeting in Bellevue Palace, the official residence of the Federal President.
Behind Rogotzki family there is a difficult time. Annabel was diagnosed with blood cancer when she was just one year old. It quickly became clear that she would need a stem cell donation. To everyone’s relief, a suitable donor was soon found in a global search: it was Fabian Danker, who immediately agreed to help. After preliminary examinations and medical checks, he went for peripheral stem cell extraction in March 2021 – a procedure that is used in 90 percent of cases. The required stem cells are taken from the bloodstream on an outpatient basis. With this assignment, Fabian Danker gave Annabel, who was still unknown to him at the time, a second chance at life. After the prescribed period of anonymity had expired, it was finally possible to get to know each other personally.
“It was very moving for me to be part of this very special meeting. Thanks to the vital work of the DKMS and the commitment of the dedicated donor, Annabel has a future,” says Every Budenbender and turns to the public with a request. “I wish that many more people with blood cancer receive this priceless gift. From my own experience, I know what it’s like to be dependent on outside help and to be able to continue living thanks to a transplant. Therefore: register with the DKMS.”
In the mission of the DKMS to give as many blood cancer patients as possible a chance to be cured, what counts for us is the willingness to help of each and every individual. Globally, one person is diagnosed with blood cancer every 27 seconds—that’s 1.2 million people a year. In Germany it is every 12 minutes. Many patients – like Annabel – depend on a stem cell donation. “It is precisely these moments that strengthen us in our life-saving mission. It makes me happy and happy to be able to experience these moments. The example of Fabian and Annabel shows how much a registration with the DKMS can achieve: A family can continue to live together, a little terminally ill girl is given a future,” says dr Elke New Year, CEO of the DKMS Group. “I thank Elke Büdenbender from the bottom of my heart, just like everyone else involved. They support our urgent concern that as many people as possible register and thus open up even more life chances than ever before.”
Patients worldwide are in need of help – blood cancer does not stop at national borders. There are currently 12 million potential donors registered with the DKMS in seven countries in an increasingly diverse donor pool. In Germany alone there are more than 7.5 million people of diverse ethnic groups. Internationally, DKMS is active in the USA, Poland, UK, Chile, India and South Africa. Unfortunately, in Germany alone, more than 125,000 registered people are leaving the file due to age and can no longer act as lifesavers. This number will continue to rise in the coming years, which is why the DKMS urgently needs new donors.
Those interested can apply online at any time www.dkms.de order a registration set with precise instructions to your home. Each newly registered person may be able to give hope to patients and their loved ones with a stem cell donation tomorrow. Like Fabian Danker, who was able to celebrate the happy end of a moving story and the beginning of a friendship with Annabel and her family at Bellevue Palace.
More information can be found here.