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With tractor and heart: Gütersloher fights against blood cancer!
Dietmar Massjosthusmann from Gütersloh is planning a tractor trip to Fehmarn to carry out leukemia typing for DKMS.
With tractor and heart: Gütersloher fights against blood cancer!
A man from the Gütersloh district is planning a very special trip: Dietmar Massjosthusmann will drive to Fehmarn with his tractor and a converted caravan. His goal? Fight for more awareness about stem cell donation and carry out typing campaigns at the same time.
The journey has a personal story that is deeply connected to his life. The 55-year-old has already suffered from leukemia twice, the first diagnosis came in 2005. He received his first stem cell transplant on August 15, 2005 from his brother Jürgen. A relapse in 2013 forced him to have a second transplant on February 4, 2014, this time from a foreign donor, Sonja Müller. It is now even more important to him to motivate others to register as stem cell donors.
Tractors and typing
Dietmar has a passion for tractors and currently drives a Deutz from 1975. For his typing campaign, he converted a construction trailer that was initially intended for scrapping. This was lifted from his garden with a 120-ton crane and offers space for a comfortable seating area, a bed and a 120-liter water tank.
The idea for the trip came to him during a DKMS typing campaign that was organized by district fire chief Dietmar Holtkemper. During his trip, Dietmar would like to stop in eleven cities, including possibly Bielefeld, where he hopes to receive support from Arminia players. On the stages of 40 to 60 kilometers, the opportunity to type is offered in every location.
How does typing work?
The typing is done using a cheek swab and costs 50 euros. To give donors an idea of how stem cell donation works: There are two main methods. Peripheral stem cell collection, which is most commonly used (approximately 90% of donations), is done through apheresis – a type of blood collection that can sometimes take several hours. The second method, bone marrow removal, is used less frequently and is done under general anesthesia from the iliac crest (approx. 10% of donations). Around a liter of bone marrow is removed, which the body regenerates within a few weeks. The risk for the donors is minimal, especially thanks to a careful preliminary medical examination.
Massjosthusmann is already receiving active support from his family, the St. Viter Association, several companies and fellow firefighters. He is currently looking for a hall for his trailer project. The courage and commitment of Dietmar Massjosthusmann could make a significant contribution to the fight against blood cancer and perhaps even save lives. In difficult times, it is important to raise awareness of such issues and take action; true to the motto “There’s something going on!”.