Ex-HSV professional Diekmeier
He addresses touching words to his daughter, who is seriously ill with cancer
12/22/2025 – 12:34 a.mReading time: 2 minutes
The 15-year-old daughter of ex-Bundesliga professional Dennis Diekmeier, who is seriously ill with cancer, appears at a gala with her family. The former footballer finds emotional words.
Former soccer professional Dennis Diekmeier addressed emotional words to the girl, who was seriously ill with cancer, during a public appearance with his daughter Delani. “My daughter is a huge role model for me. Dana and I always cried in the evenings like nothing else, and Delani looks at us and says: Mom, I’m one of the under five percent: I can do it,” said the 38-year-old at the “Kinderlachen Christmas Gala” in Kitzbühel: “Delani, you are – you know that – a brutal role model for me. The strength you have is really incredible.”
Diekmeier posted a video of the family being awarded the “Mountain Award” and his own speech on Instagram. He wrote: “Faith and love moved mountains.”
“We were really happy that we were invited. These moments of happiness are so good for Delani. She doesn’t want to lock herself in, but rather enjoy life,” said Dennis Diekmeier to “Bild”: “An evening like this is something very special for all of us. Delani wants to show that she thinks positively and fights despite the illness. She is so incredibly strong, has so much positive energy.”
Just a few days ago, parents Dennis and Dana Diekmeier received the positive news that Delani could celebrate Christmas at home. The 15-year-old underwent the new, so-called Imaza therapy from nuclear medicine at the Würzburg University Hospital – with initial success. During Imaza therapy, a radioactive agent is injected that is absorbed by tumor cells.
The eldest of Dana and Dennis Diekmeier’s four children was diagnosed with a tumor on the adrenal gland in January. This was surgically removed, but shortly afterwards doctors discovered metastases in both lungs. In the meantime, Delani was classified as a palliative patient, but her parents found new doctors.