The swimming pool in the Drenthe town of Ruinen is the first swimming pool in the Netherlands to make free sunscreen available to visitors.
Translation by Matthijs van Houten
RTV Drenthe reports that the swimming pool staff want to put extra effort into preventing skin cancer. According to the chairman of the swimming pool, a volunteer came up with this idea. “Some children forget to bring sunscreen with the,”, says Roel Wiekema. “And if you regularly get sunburnt as a child, you are more likely to develop skin cancer later on. The sunscreen manufacturer wanted to help out and made the sunscreen available.”
Wiekema stresses that the idea is not for everyone to leave their sunscreen at home because they know it will be offered for free. “We are a little afraid of that,” he explains. “We hope that people will not intentionally leave their sunscreen at home or bring empty bottles to the swimming pool for a free refill.”
KWF happy with idea
KWF Kankerbestrijding, a Dutch organisation that raises money for the fight against cancer, is enthusiastic about the initiative. “If you protect yourself well, the chance of skin cancer becomes smaller.” Last year, the swimming pool attracted around 1,300 visitors on peak days.
