Bundesliga’s Eren Dinkçi Calls for Stem Cell Donors Following Partner’s Leukemia Diagnosis
In a moment that transcends the sport of football, 1. FC Heidenheim forward Eren Dinkçi has turned to the public for help. The 24-year-traditional Bundesliga player revealed via Instagram that his partner, Cinja, has been diagnosed with leukemia, a serious form of blood cancer.
The announcement comes as a call to action for fans and the general public to register as stem cell donors, as Cinja may rely on a transplant for her recovery. The news has prompted an immediate and unified response from both the club where Dinkçi currently plays and the club that holds his contract.
Fußballprofi Eren Dinkçi vom 1. FC Heidenheim und seine Freundin rufen Fans zu einer Stammzellenspende auf – weil seine Lebenspartnerin an Leukämie erkrankt ist.
Eren Dinkçi, Stürmer beim Bundesliga-Verein 1. FC Heidenheim, hat auf Instagram öffentlich gemacht, dass seine Freundin Cinja an Leukämie erkrankt ist. Der Grund für die Mitteilung ist, dass seine Lebenspartnerin auf eine Stammzellenspende angewiesen sein könnte. Dafür soll vor dem Spiel der Heidenheimer beim SC Freiburg am Samstagnachmittag eine Stammzellenspenden-Aktion stattfinden. Dinkçi steht beim SC Freiburg unter Vertrag und ist an Heidenheim ausgeliehen. Beide Klubs haben die Nachricht auf ihren Homepages veröffentlicht und unterstützen das Paar.
Fans können sich ab 13 Uhr vor dem Freiburger Europa-Park-Stadion bei der Stammzellen-Datenbank DKMS registrieren lassen. „Potenzielle Spender/innen können sich innerhalb weniger Minuten mit drei Abstrichen der Wangeninnenschleimhaut kosten- und schmerzlos registrieren lassen und so vielleicht mithelfen, Leben zu retten“, heißt es in der Mitteilung. Dazu müssen drei Wangenabstriche genommen werden, der ganze Prozess dauert zehn Minuten. Der 1. FC Heidenheim wiederholt die Aktion am 25. April vor seinem Heimspiel gegen den FC St. Pauli.
Vom SC Freiburg an Heidenheim ausgeliehen
In dem Instagram-Post heißt es, dass die Diagnose im Januar gestellt worden sei. “Von einem Moment auf den anderen steht alles still und gleichzeitig beginnt ein Weg, den man sich so nie hätte vorstellen können”, werden Eren Dinkçi und Partnerin Cinja zitiert.
Der Spendenaufruf gilt natürlich nicht nur für Cinja, sondern für alle Menschen, die auf eine Stammzellentherapie angewiesen sind. Je mehr Personen sich registrieren lassen, desto höher ist die Wahrscheinlichkeit, dass es einen Treffer gibt.
Dinkçi, 24 Jahre alt, ist gebürtiger Bremer und schaffte bei Werder Bremen den Sprung zum Profi. 2023 ging er als Leihspieler nach Heidenheim, wechselte dann zum FC Freiburg, von denen er ein Jahr später erneut an Heidenheim ausgeliehen wurde.
The diagnosis was delivered in late January 2026, shifting the couple’s reality instantly. Describing the experience, Dinkçi and Cinja noted that “from one moment to the next, everything stands still,” marking the start of a journey defined by uncertainty and a fight for health.
A Unified Front: Heidenheim and Freiburg Mobilize
The professional football community has rallied around the player. In a rare reveal of cross-club cooperation, both 1. FC Heidenheim and SC Freiburg—the latter being Dinkçi’s parent club—have officially publicized the plea on their homepages to maximize outreach.
To facilitate the search for a compatible donor, the two clubs have partnered with the DKMS stem cell database to organize registration drives. These events are designed to be accessible, allowing healthy individuals between the ages of 17 and 55 to join the donor registry.
The registration process is streamlined for fans attending matches: it involves three painless swabs of the inner cheek mucosa, a process that takes approximately 10 minutes and is provided free of charge.
Registration Schedule and Locations
Fans and supporters can participate in the following registration events:
- April 19, 2026: Registration begins at 13:00 local time outside the Europa-Park-Stadion in Freiburg, prior to the match between SC Freiburg and 1. FC Heidenheim.
- April 25, 2026: 1. FC Heidenheim will host a second registration drive before their home match against FC St. Pauli.
While the immediate catalyst for these drives is Cinja’s diagnosis, the clubs and DKMS emphasized that every new registration helps thousands of other patients worldwide who are waiting for a life-saving stem cell match.
Who is Eren Dinkçi?
For those following the Bundesliga from abroad, Eren Sami Dinkçi is a versatile attacking talent known for his pace and precision as a forward or right winger. Born in Bremen in 2001, Dinkçi rose through the ranks at Werder Bremen, where he made his professional debut in December 2020, scoring a winning goal in his first appearance against Mainz 05.
His career has seen him navigate several transitions, including a successful loan spell at Heidenheim during the 2023-24 season before moving to SC Freiburg. He currently returns to 1. FC Heidenheim on loan, continuing to establish himself as a key offensive threat in the German top flight.
Note for global readers: Stem cell registration is the first step in a process where donors are screened for HLA (human leukocyte antigen) compatibility. If a match is found, the donor is contacted to undergo the actual donation process, which is the primary hope for patients with leukemia.
The Impact of Leukemia
Leukemia is a group of blood cancers that interfere with the production of healthy blood cells. In Germany, a person receives this diagnosis approximately every twelve minutes. For many, including Cinja, a stem cell transplant represents the most viable path toward a cure, provided a compatible donor can be found within the global registry.
The support from the Bundesliga community highlights the human side of the sport, reminding fans that the athletes on the pitch face the same fragile realities as everyone else. The collaboration between Heidenheim and Freiburg serves as a blueprint for how sporting rivals can unite for a humanitarian cause.
What’s Next
The immediate focus remains on the registration drive this Saturday, April 19, at the Europa-Park-Stadion. Supporters are encouraged to arrive early to support the cause before kickoff.
Further updates regarding the registration efforts and the couple’s journey will be shared through the official channels of 1. FC Heidenheim and SC Freiburg.
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