The Swim to Fight Cancer swimming trips will make a true comeback in Brabant this summer. “Due to the pandemic, no swimming trip was organized in 2020 and last year it was only possible to swim in Den Bosch and Tilburg,” says Alicia Schuurmans of the umbrella national organization. “But next summer, the swimming tour will return in four Brabant cities, including a newcomer: Swim Heusden de Langstraat 2022.”
The first Swim to Fight Cancer swimming tour edition Heusden/Langstraat will be held on Sunday 18 September in the fortified town of Heusden. “The course follows part of the river Maas,” says Erik Klijn. “However, the finish, the apotheosis, is in the historic Stadshaven of Heusden. When the participants swim under the well-known bridge, they make another round through the harbor to really finish at the foot of the mill. The finish location was deliberately chosen because there is a lot of space around the harbor for fans, spectators and family.”
“There will then be ‘Swims’ in Breda, Tilburg and Eindhoven at the same time.”
The Swim to Fight Cancer swimming tour edition Heusden/Langstraat will be the fourth location in Brabant next summer where it is possible to swim (again) to raise money for the fight against cancer. “On Sunday 11 September, a week before Heusden, you can even swim in three places,” says Alicia Schuurmans. “There will then be ‘Swims’ in Breda, Tilburg and Eindhoven at the same time.”
Another Swim will be held in Den Bosch next year (2023), “says Erik Klijn of the Heusden swimming tour. “To avoid getting in each other’s way, we will do it this year and it will be Den Bosch again next year.”
Although the announcement is still ‘fresh’ that a Swim to Fight Cancer will be held in Heusden for the first time, the counter is already at almost five hundred donors. Donors who already sponsor the registered participants for ten thousand euros. “We still have about 17 weeks to go and 40 participants have already registered and three teams that are already participating. That is already a very nice achievement”, says Erik Klijn. “We are counting on 150 to 200 participants for such a first edition.”
“In 2019 before the pandemic, we collected 3.5 million euros for the KWF.”
Due to the corona pandemic, much less money has been collected by swimmers in recent years. “In 2019 before the pandemic, we collected 3.5 million euros for the KWF”, says Alicia Schuurmans of the umbrella organization. “14 editions were held at the time. Last year that was 1.5 million and in 2020 nothing at all, nothing was allowed because of corona.”
Raising money for the fight against cancer, by exercising. “Fortunately, it is still very popular. More and more cities are organizing swimming trips against cancer, including Heusden now.” The first Brabant edition of Swim to Fight Cancer took place in 2014 in Den Bosch. Last year’s e3 edition raised almost half a million euros for cancer research.
“Unfortunately, there are also members in our club who have been directly or indirectly affected by cancer.”
The organization of the Swim to Fight Cancer in Heusden is in the hands of the local Lions Club. A club whose members also have to deal with cancer. “Unfortunately, there are also members in our club who have been directly or indirectly affected by cancer. Partly for that reason, we have embraced this project with great love and support it 100%.”
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