VVV star to miss match after donating blood to leukaemia patient

VVV striker Lennart Thy will miss his team's next game after donating blood to save the life of an individual suffering from acute leukaemia.

The German, 26, first donated seven years ago to help a cancer patient.

Now, it has emerged he is also an exact DNA match for an unnamed leukaemia sufferer, who requires stem cell treatment to cure the illness.

Thy did not hesitate in selflessly volunteering to give blood, and his club also agreed to give him a week's license to undergo the donation procedure and its subsequent recovery.

"Lennart, you could save a life," VVV wrote in a statement published on the club's official website, where they praised the striker for his heroic decision.

"Thy will be absent from this week's team training sessions and will not play against PSV at the weekend. The reason is a special one.

"VVV were of course in agreement with Thy's request to cooperate with this special procedure. The possibility of a DNA match is extremely small and creates an exceptional situation."

VVV currently lie in 12th place in the Dutch Eredivisie, having won promotion last season from the second-tier Jupiler League.