For her birthday
Ex-professional football player with emotional words to his cancer-stricken daughter
12/18/2025 – 2:51 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
The daughter of ex-football professional Dennis Diekmeier continues to fight cancer. He dedicates emotional words to her on her birthday.
Former football professional Dennis Diekmeier congratulated his daughter Delani, who is seriously ill with cancer, on her 15th birthday with touching words. “You fight. You give it your all. And you never lose yourself. What you have achieved in this last year is more than words can ever describe,” wrote Diekmeier on Instagram. “I’m so incredibly proud of you. And I’m even prouder to be your dad.” No matter how rocky the road is – he takes every step with her. “Always by your side. Always behind you. Always for you,” wrote the former footballer from Hamburger SV and SV Sandhausen.
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.
The new so-called Imaza therapy from nuclear medicine is being used these days. A radioactive agent is injected, which is absorbed by tumor cells. “Delani and I have been in the Würzburg University Hospital since Monday. The therapy is ongoing and so that no one except Delani gets radiation, she is in a room in “iso-confinement”, as she says,” wrote Delani’s mother Dana Diekmeier on Instagram in the middle of the week. Mother and daughter can at least see each other through windows. “We hope to be able to go home at the end of the week,” wrote Dana Diekmeier. “Keep your fingers crossed for our Christmas miracle.”
Delani’s mother also sent moving words to her daughter on her birthday. “You have shown so much courage, strength and heart in your young life. Even on difficult days you never stopped smiling, hoping and being yourself,” she wrote. “You are stronger than you sometimes believe and more beautiful than words could ever describe.” She wishes Delani that the new year of her life will give her light, hope and many small miracles. “You are not alone – we are walking this path together, step by step.”
The fact that the new form of therapy worked for Delani was the first positive news for the family in a long time. “At the moment Delani is terminally ill. And we hope that she will be well for a long time and that at some point there will be something that can be tried that will make her healthy,” said Dana Diekmeier a few days ago in a long interview with the couple for the Sky series “My Story”. “You just have to make the best of it and hope that the miracle happens and she gets well.”