[REVISION HISTORY]

Maarten van der Weijden cancer research swim

Updated 2 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-08-19 12:52 UTC → 2026-08-21 18:55 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Olympic swimming champion Maarten van der Weijden announced plans to undertake a 270-kilometer swim across 22 Dutch cities to raise funds for childhood cancer research. The journey, intended to support the ‘For Life’ program at the Prinses Máxima Center, aims to study the immediate and long-term side effects of cancer treatments to improve the quality of life for recovering children. On August 17, the swim, referred to as the ‘22-stedentocht’, officially commenced in Vught. The route travels through various cities, including ’s-Hertogenbosch, Tilburg, Breda, Gouda, and Woerden, with a scheduled conclusion at the Prinses Máxima Centrum in ~~Utrecht on August 22.~~ Utrecht. By the start of the trek, donations had already surpassed 40,000 euros. On the morning of Wednesday, August 19, Van der Weijden temporarily suspended the tour due to health concerns after experiencing “significant nausea and abdominal pain.” Following medical consultation, the Maarten van der Weijden Foundation announced he would not enter the water that day to allow for rest and recovery. ~~The impact on~~ Ultimately, Van der Weijden was forced to officially halt the ~~remaining schedule remains uncertain as organizers monitor~~ ‘22-city tour’ due to worsening health issues, including fever. Despite the cancellation before reaching Utrecht, the initiative was a financial success, raising over 550,000 euros. During the event, influencer Bas Smit joined the swimmer in Haastrecht, contributing to an additional 50,000 euros in social media donations. Van der Weijden, a leukemia survivor, indicated that this would be his ~~condition.~~ final major swimming fundraising effort.

Versions

Only revisions since CLSTR began indexing content versions appear here. Select a version to see what changed compared to the one before it.