A tumor was found in Benni's bone marrow donation in 2017. The doctors gave him another year. But Benni is still alive - and fighting.
- To save lives, Benni wanted to donate bone marrow in 2017.
- Doctors discovered a tumor and metastases all over the body.
- Despite a poor forecast, Benni never gave up.
Update from February 27: Karlsfeld - Benni Grieser had long considered whether he should tell his story publicly. He is terminally ill with cancer . He has had to live with chemotherapy and surgery for three years. He has wishes and dreams that help him not to give up.
But his savings have been used up because of the illness. He doesn't want to beg for anything, he emphasizes. But he had hoped for some help - for example when renovating his apartment. But the 26-year-old from the Dachau district did not expect the reactions he received to the article in our newspaper. "It really blows me away! I have goose bumps! “, He writes.
The many emails reach Benni Grieser in the hospital. He had an unexpected operation yesterday because of an abscess. Therefore the planned therapy has been postponed. A big setback for him.
"I don't know what to do right now. That's why I'm so excited about all the news. ”
The willingness to help is incredibly great. Dozens of readers have contacted Benni directly to encourage him or to our editors ( 089/5306467 ) to transfer a donation to him. His story even touches some readers so much that they want to give him and his girlfriend Ramona a vacation.
Others offer him their help with the renovation. "It will take some time before I can answer all emails," says Benni Grieser. "But reading them gives a lot more strength." His mother Lydia didn't expect such sympathy either. She says: "We are speechless and deeply moved."
Diagnosis of cancer: doctors gave Beni another year in 2017 - but he is still fighting
Original article from February 25th: Karlsfeld - Benni G. fights a fight he cannot win. His opponent is invisible, unpredictable and invincible . An aggressive cancer . Sometimes Benni calls him "the mess bag". He knows that he can't get rid of this cancer. He hopes that he will be able to live with him for a long time. Because he is only 26. His strength and health have robbed him of the illness - but not his dreams and goals.
Benni G's fight started three years ago. In his hometown of Weichs (Dachau district), the fire department organized a typing campaign because a comrade was suffering from blood cancer. For Benni it is not a question to participate. The call comes a week later. He was considered a donor and had to go to the hospital for examinations. Benni is sitting there opposite a doctor. The ultrasound showed a shadow on his kidney. "You should definitely have a look at that." Benni makes a CT appointment. For May 23, 2017 - he still knows that. But he hardly has any memories of the day. "It was like a blackout," he says today when he sits in his mother Lydia's apartment in Karlsfeld and tells his story. The doctors tell him that they discovered a 17 cm tumor on the adrenal gland. Benni G. then goes to work, he is a bricklayer. He doesn't speak to anyone. "I was remote controlled," he says. The diagnosis was a shock - but he had no idea what to expect at the time.
With bone marrow donation: Doctors discover tumors - and make poor prognoses
He tries to think positive. A month later, he is operated on for the first time. Doctors not only remove the adrenal gland, but also parts of the kidney, diaphragm, intestine, liver, lungs and lymph nodes - metastases everywhere. He, his family and his girlfriend Ramona only find out afterwards. He is in the intensive care unit for days and must be ventilated.
The cancer is aggressive - and still unexplored because it is rare. A number of specialists are involved in Bennis' case. In 2017, the doctors told him that he didn't have much time. A year if it goes well two. It's been three years since then. Benni cannot defeat his opponent. But he braves him. "Giving up is not my cup of tea," he says.
Aggressive cancer in Bennis' body: as soon as one metastasis shrinks, a new one grows
Of course there are also days when it is difficult for him to remain optimistic. Where he feels like an old man. He used to be sporty, built houses. Now there are days when it is difficult for him to take a few steps. He has had five chemotherapies . Neither did anything. There are still several metastases in the body, a few ten centimeters in size. Sometimes doctors can fight some. And then it doesn't take long for new organs to appear in another organ.
The chemos destroyed his body. Many large scars have remained from the many surgeries. A port was placed for chemotherapy so that a thin catheter can be placed directly on the tumor. For that nerves were cut, they hurt. Benni is classified as severely disabled . He can no longer work, had to give up his hobbies. And he also lost friends, he says. "Some contacts have broken off, and many of them simply didn't know how to behave." There is still a small group of people in his life. "But I know: I can always count on them."
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Marriage proposal for girlfriend Ramona: Benni, who has cancer, has modest wishes
This is not just his family, but above all his girlfriend Ramona. "I have the strongest woman by my side," he says. Without her he would have given up many times, he believes. He proposed to her in the summer. Ramona said yes. The two want to use every day that they have in common. You have dreams. Modest dreams . A shared apartment, a weekend vacation. "I would love to see a volcano one day," says Benni. For example in Sicily. But that is unthinkable.
Because he is unable to work due to the illness , he receives a pension of 1200 euros. "That's just enough for life," he says. His girlfriend is still studying. "All our savings have been used up." Because they are trying to convert the ground floor in his father's house in order to move in there. "We didn't find an affordable apartment." He did everything Benni could do himself. Now he faces tasks for which he lacks the strength. He cannot afford artisans. "I don't want to beg for anything," he emphasizes. But he is grateful for help . The other day, for his birthday, he launched a fundraiser for cancer research on Facebook. It raised more than 1000 euros. "After that, I thought for the first time whether I shouldn't even ask for help."
Benni with an important message: "Enjoy your life"
But that's not the only reason why he tells his story publicly. "When I was healthy, it was a matter of course for me," he says thoughtfully. He was not thankful enough for that. He wants to say this to everyone who is not dealing with an invincible opponent: Enjoy your life, don't get upset about trifles.
He often wondered what would have happened if he hadn't gone to the typing campaign . “I would probably have fallen dead on the construction site at some point,” he says. Benni G. is grateful that he got a chance to fight.
Contact options for anyone who would like to support Benni with a donation or help with the conversion: by email at info@merkur.de.
You can always read all news from Dachau and the surrounding area on our region page at Merkur.de.
