A Scottish soccer supporter whose life was saved by an opponent now has "German blood."

Ally Brown, a 41-year-old from Haddington, East Lothian, is eagerly anticipating Scotland's first game at the Euros. He will be travelling to Munich to watch his team play and show his support. However, little does he know that his life was saved almost 25 years ago by a German bone marrow donor.

At the young age of 16, Ally was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a type of blood cancer. He underwent four years of treatment, but unfortunately, the cancer kept recurring. That's when he received a life-saving operation from a German donor. Even though he will be cheering for Scotland, he admits that his "blood" is German, thanks to his donor.

Ally is thrilled to be attending the game against Germany, especially since he feels a special connection to the country. He explains, "My blood is 100% German, so the country will always hold a special place in my heart. But on Friday night, I'll be shouting and singing for Scotland." It's an emotional moment for Ally, knowing that he was given a second chance at life by someone from a different country.

His donor was a German woman, and they have been able to keep in touch through Facebook and Google Translate. Ally is grateful for the wonderful gift she has given him - 24 more years of life and counting. He adds, "We have swapped pictures, and my partner even sent her a message to say thanks. Saving a life isn't just a gift for the person, but for their family and friends as well."

Ally's transplant was made possible through the stem cell charity, Anthony Nolan, which was founded in 1974 by Shirley Nolan. She was searching for a match for her son, Anthony, who had a rare blood disorder. Though a match wasn't found for Anthony, the charity has gone on to facilitate over 26,500 transplants for people around the world.

Henny Braund, the chief executive of Anthony Nolan, is thrilled to see Ally going to support Scotland in Germany, the home of his life-saving donor. She points out the importance of joining the stem cell register, as someone in the UK is diagnosed with blood cancer every 13 minutes. She urges football fans aged 16-30 to join their campaign, One Million United, by simply swabbing their cheek and potentially saving someone's life, just as Ally's was saved.

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