Under loud applause, a few hundred people saw the record amount of 461,129 euros go up this afternoon at Swim To Fight Cancer in Haarlem. That may be called a small miracle, because last Friday it was announced that it was not possible to swim today due to blue-green algae in the water.
Swim To Fight Cancer is an event hosted in twelve cities this year. The concept is simple: participants swim through the center of a city and get sponsored so that money is raised for cancer research.
This weekend Haarlem was on the program, but last Friday it was announced that Spaarne contains blue-green algae. A huge downer for the organization, volunteers and participants.
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One of the participants who would swim today is Erwin von Hebel. He is, in blue baths, along the quay of the Spaarne early in the day.
“This would be my fifth swim of the year,” he responds. “That is unique because there are not that many people who swim several times. It’s a shame it’s not going on.”
“I have lost many people to the disease”
Erwin has experienced the disease up close. “I’ve lost a lot of people to the disease: adults and children dead within three months,” he says emotionally. “That’s why I participate and try to raise as much money as possible.”
six thousand euros
Erwin has already swum together six thousand this year and could not resist to see if there might be an alternative.
“I come from Hilversum and checked whether there is a swimming pool in Haarlem and there is: the Boerhaavebad. They took care of me there. I swim with KWF armbands so they could see that I was swimming for that. That was great fun Erwin said.
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Due to the cancellation of the event, participants can participate again next year without registration fee. “And the amount they raised will also remain,” says Stefanie van Rootselaar, ddirector of the Fight Cancer Foundation.
“Then they don’t have to start over. But this money that has now been raised will already be made available for cancer research,” says Van Rootselaar.
Earlier in the year
Besides blue-green algae, it was a rainy afternoon today. The organization is therefore looking at whether the event in Haarlem could take place earlier in the year.
“Nothing is certain, but we are going to see if we can go swimming in June, for example. So that the weather is a little more favorable next year,” continues from Rootselaar. “But it was a fantastic event here in Haarlem. Very well done.”
“I look up to my dead friends”
Meanwhile, Erwin is very happy with the amount raised. “I look up at my friends who have died of the disease. I think this is extra worth and it motivates me to be there again next year. Hopefully we can swim here.”