The condition of Delani Diekmeier (15) has continued to deteriorate. As her mother Dana Diekmeier announced on Instagram on Tuesday, the metastases in the teenager's lungs cannot currently be contained as hoped. "Unfortunately, they are getting larger and more are appearing", she writes. "This development is difficult to accept and causes us great pain. Nevertheless, Delani is doing well at the moment - and that is exactly what we are focusing on."
In fact, Dana Diekmeier begins her post by highlighting the good news: "At the moment, she is fortunately doing very well. She is physically fit, active, and able to enjoy her daily life. We are infinitely grateful for this every single day." However, for Delani's illness there are "currently only very few treatment options" that are effective.
Check-ups every one to two weeks
The mother describes in detail how closely her daughter is being monitored medically. According to her, check-up appointments and blood tests take place in Frankfurt every one to two weeks. An immunotherapy via infusions that Delani received a few weeks ago has now been completed. The 15-year-old continues to take many medications daily, which according to her mother she is currently tolerating well. Every four to six weeks, CT or MRI scans are also performed to monitor how the lung metastases are developing.
At the same time, Dana Diekmeier expresses her gratitude to her followers for their continued support. "We cannot control what the future brings. But we can consciously experience each day together", she writes. The family is trying to "not lose sight of the beauty in everyday life".
Rare adrenal cortex tumor
At the end of January 2025, a rare malignant adrenal cortex tumor was discovered in Delani, which had already spread to both lungs. The main tumor was surgically removed, followed by several chemotherapy treatments, a total of three lung surgeries, and an initial immunotherapy. At the end of 2025, an individual nuclear medicine treatment attempt using the IMAZA therapy developed there also began at the University Hospital Würzburg, after established medications had not brought the hoped-for success. At the beginning of 2026, the family initially reported a partial success, as the metastases had remained stable at that time.
That the situation has recently worsened had already been indicated. In an RTL interview, Dana Diekmeier said in June, referring to the regular MRI scans: "It's getting more and more and it can't be stopped." Already in the spring, she had explained that the treatments were primarily aimed at prolonging her daughter's life, according to the situation at that time.
Parents make decisions together
Delani is the daughter of Dana Diekmeier and former professional soccer player Dennis Diekmeier (36). The couple announced their separation at the end of April after 16 years of marriage. As parents, they remain closely connected and make all treatment decisions together with Delani, Dennis Diekmeier emphasized at the time.
