200 Flemish municipalities will be offering free sunscreen dispensers as part of an awareness campaign intended to encourage parents and organisers of youth sports to regularly protect themselves from the sun’s rays.
Beginning from the Easter holidays, the initiative comes from Sport Flanders, according to Nieuwsblad.
All Sport Flanders centres will have sunscreen on hand. The awareness campaign is using the hashtag #smeerem (Dutch for “spread”) and was launched for the first time back in 2019.
“Children's skin is extra sensitive to the harmful UV rays, and those who suffer a severe sunburn at a young age have a greater risk of skin cancer later in life,” said Frank Pauwels, a doctor in sports medicine and president of Gezond Sporten.
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“Extra protection is therefore important. Not just on the beach during the holidays, but from April onwards also in the garden, on the playground, or on the sports field when the weather is nice.”
Two out of three Flemish municipalities have already taken up the offer of free sunscreen dispensers, and more can follow.
The dispensers can be moved around to wherever young athletes gather, like local sports parks and youth camps.
Helen Lyons
The Brussels Times
