Ziek Sterk.
In the summer of 2020, 27-year-old Bas Meijer was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Surgery was found to be necessary. He has been very athletic all his life and didn’t want it to change after his surgery. Therefore, he decided to sign up for the Iron Viking in Amsterdam on October 16 2021, about a year after the surgery. By participating in the Iron Viking he wants to raise money for two charities. He calls his crowdfunding: Ziek sterk.
Ever since he was a young boy, Bas wanted to work in the military. Specifically with the commando corps or the marine corps. He had hearing problems in his right ear and knew that this could become a problem for his dream in the military. In preparation for his application, he decided in 2016 to have an examination of his hearing, which included an MRI Scan. At this scan, they discovered that there was something in his right frontal lobe. What exactly this was, they did not know at the time. Despite his poor hearing, he still applied to the Defense Department. In 2018, he was permanently rejected for all combat positions within the military.
After the MRI Scan in 2016, Bas had to return to the hospital every six months for a checkup. In 2020, the mass in his brain appeared to have grown and Bas was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Surgery was required. He found it very important to stay sporty after his surgery and decided to sign up for the Iron Viking on October 16 in Spaarnwoude. Bas decided to set up a crowdfunding for this sportive challenge for two charities: Help for Heroes and a UMC research project on resection of gliomas. In total, Bas tries to raise 51,000 euros for these two causes. The Iron Viking is exactly 51 weeks after the operation.
Help for Heroes is an organization dedicated to the well-being of military personnel, veterans and their families at home. Through various projects they try to give recognition, attention and support to these groups. Bas says that if he never had the boyhood dream of working in the military, his brain tumor might never have been discovered. Partly for this reason, Help for Heroes deserves 50% of the money raised.
The other 50% of the money raised will go to the UMC. The UMC is doing research on removing brain tumors. It is almost impossible to remove a brain tumor completely and the chance that it comes back in the same place is big. Therefore, research is needed, for better control, better treatment of symptoms and better guidance for patients with a brain tumor now and in the future.
If you run into Bas on October 16 give him a big OORAH! If you want to support him with his crowdfunding check out the following page for more information: