Cercle and Napoleon honour Miguel Van Damme and raise awareness around blood cancer

For the second year running, Cercle Brugge, Napoleon Sports & Casino and the ME TO YOU Foundation organise a campaign to raise awareness of the fight against blood cancer. During the Cercle Brugge – KV Oostende match (Saturday at 18h15), Cercle will play with adapted shirts. The Napoleon logo will make way for that of ME TO YOU. Right away, a call for stem cell donors will also be launched to help football fans make a difference in the fight against blood cancer. The condition is close to the hearts of Cercle Brugge’s players, fans and staff. They lost their teammate Miguel Van Damme to leukaemia earlier this year.

September is world blood cancer month and the month in which Miguel Van Damme also celebrated his birthday. It is for this reason that Napoleon Sports & Casino, Cercle Brugge and the ME TO YOU Foundation are launching this campaign around next Saturday’s match. For the second season in a row, this campaign is being set up to raise awareness and knowledge about the disease and encourage scientific research and stem cell donation.

ME TO YOU is a foundation that supports research projects into leukaemia and related forms of bone marrow and blood diseases. The organisation also counsels leukaemia patients. Miguel Van Damme was and remains godfather of the organisation.

Tim De Borle, CEO of Napoleon Sports & Casino commented, “Our thoughts remain with Miguel, his wife and daughter, his family and friends. His perseverance, positivism and fighting spirit remain a great inspiration. We want to continue to bring the important awareness-raising work of the ME TO YOU Foundation to the attention of the general public. We hope to get as many football fans as possible to register to become stem cell donors and make a difference themselves.”

In honour of Miguel, of all those suffering from a form of blood cancer and to support their friends and family, the players will wear a special shirt during the home match against KV Oostende. The logo of the ME TO YOU Foundation will take the place of main partner Napoleon Sports & Casino.

Ben Lambrecht, Cercle Brugge CEO: “Miguel was a showcase of fighting spirit and remains an inspiration to all. Ever since 2020, Cercle has been working closely with the ME TO YOU foundation to raise awareness and research into leukaemia or blood cancer. The fact that, for the second season in a row, our main partner is very actively joining in the “September=blood cancer month” is further proof of the great solidarity that exists with everyone who is currently fighting. Together we are stronger.”

After the match, the shirts will be auctioned to benefit the foundation. Via the LED boarding, among others, the match will also call for people to become stem cell donors.

Every year, thousands of Belgians are diagnosed with leukaemia. Leukaemia is a common cancer but research shows that half of all Belgians are unfamiliar with the actual symptoms. “This is why it is important to raise awareness and vigilance for blood cancers such as leukaemia. We hope with the Napoleon Sports & Casino action to reach as many people as possible and convince new stem cell donors,” concludes Philippe Vindevogel of the ME TO YOU Foundation.