Surfer with terminal melanoma raises awareness with 42 km paddle: Importance of sunscreen and early detection

As an avid surfer, Jasper Rijpma can often be found in the sun. In 2020 he was pointed out to a spot on his neck. “I walked around with it for a while. Only much later did I go to the doctor and the birthmark was preventively cut away,” he tells Editie NL.

But the damage had already been done by then. The spot turned out to be a melanoma: an aggressive form of skin cancer. “I had never heard of that.” The cancer had spread through his lymph nodes to his lungs. “The treatments did not work. That means that I am terminally ill.”

Paddling

Jasper has set up an action to raise awareness of melanoma and to protect other people. On June 11, he will paddle 42 on his surfboard. “So I lie on my stomach and paddle with my arms. This is known in the surfing world. I wanted to do something that I have talent for.” He will have to paddle for about 8.5 hours.

Most common cancer type

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the Netherlands. In 2022, it was diagnosed in 83,300 people. More than 8,000 of these were melanoma. That year, 788 people died as a result of melanoma.

Source: KWF

Lubricate

A message that Jasper wants to convey with his campaign is to apply sunscreen well, even in places that you might forget at first. “I never applied the spot on my neck, just above the border of my wetsuit. That’s where the melanoma came to me,” he says. “And check suspicious spots.”

Dermatologist Daniel Kadouch also emphasizes the importance of good lubrication. “Use a minimum factor of 30, apply generously and repeat every two hours.” You should always do that, he says. “Only rubbing yourself on a sunny day is not enough. The sun damage accumulates and can no longer be repaired at a certain point.” He also recommends avoiding the sun during peak hours and wearing protective clothing.

Usually treatable

Fortunately, ninety percent of skin cancer cases can be treated well. “These almost never metastasize. About ten percent of skin cancer diagnoses concern melanoma. These are often poorly recognized and can be dangerous. They arise in a new or existing mole. It is often superficial and does not metastasize Unfortunately, we also see many cases in which the melanoma grows deeper into the skin and does metastasize. Then it can go quickly and be fatal.”

Suspicious properties

A spot on the skin is suspicious with the following properties:

• If the spot is asymmetrical in color or shape.
• If the edge of the spot or birthmark is uneven or jagged.
• If the color of the (birth) spot changes or if the spot has multiple colours.
• If the spot or mole is more than 5 millimeters in size.
• If the spot itches, bleeds, or changes shape, color, or size.