Grand Duke Guillaume has registered as a stem cell donor by joining the “Plooschter Projet” (“Project Bandaid”).
In a video shared by the Grand Ducal Court on social media, the Grand Duke is seen giving a blood sample as part of the registration process. He explained that anyone can sign up through a simple blood test. “With this gesture of solidarity, we are giving people with leukaemia a chance for a new life”, the head of state said.
Plooschter Projet describes its mission as conducting regular awareness and registration campaigns to inform the public about blood cancer and encourage residents to sign up as stem cell donors. According to the organisation, since its founding in 2014, more than 17,000 people have registered as donors during one of its campaigns, accounting for 79.9% of all donors from Luxembourg. The results, it states, speak for themselves: over that period, 120 people have gone on to donate stem cells, giving a patient a chance for a new life. Around 60 volunteers are currently involved with the project.
The last day of February – Saturday 28 February in 2026 – marks Rare Disease Day. The annual observance aims to raise awareness of rare diseases and highlight their impact on the lives of those affected. A disease is considered “rare” when it affects fewer than one in 2,000 people. To date, more than 6,000 such diseases have been identified. It is estimated that around 30,000 people in Luxembourg are living with a rare disease.
