Freeman urges sunscreen use: 'It could save their life'

LOS ANGELES -- One of the things that drew Freddie Freeman to the Dodgers as a free agent this past offseason was the fact that they showed interest not just in his professional goals, but in his personal goals as well.

Freeman told them this: “I care about winning and family.”

The All-Star first baseman got a chance to focus on the latter on Monday as part of the Dodgers Love L.A. Community Tour presented by Bank of America.

In a visit to Solano Ave. Elementary School, located just down the street from Dodger Stadium, Freeman, his wife, Chelsea, and their three sons spoke to a crowd of students about the importance of sun protection before handing out sunscreen and SPF-containing lip balm. Dermatological professionals from UCLA Health also addressed the children and answered their questions about skincare.

Students were reminded that it’s important to wear sunscreen every time you go outside, regardless of the weather or the time of year. They were told to always use sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher, and that they should reapply it every two hours.

For Freeman, this cause hits close to home due to a family history of skin cancer. He lost his mother, Rosemary, to melanoma when he was just 10 years old. One of his brothers had to have skin cancer removed from his ear.

“It means a lot to us,” said Freeman. “Just to let the kids know a little bit about sunscreen -- I know they're gonna go off and play on the playground and do everything they want to do, as they should as kids. But for us, just maybe, it might stick in one person, one kid, one boy or little girl that might start putting sunscreen on, it could save their life. You never know.”

The assembly at Solano Ave. Elementary was Freeman’s third stop of the day. In the morning, Freeman attended a pep rally at Garfield High School, home to the California Interscholastic Federation city section champions in baseball and softball. Following that, he joined the LAPD Hollenbeck Community Police Station for a pizza lunch.

While Freeman regularly took part in community events throughout his 12 years with Atlanta, there’s an added layer of significance to getting to do so in the place that he hails from. Freeman is a Southern California native, born in Fountain Valley, and he played both high school and college baseball in Orange County.

“Coming home, where I grew up, and to be out in the community, we've been given a platform to put some smiles on some people's faces,” said Freeman. “When you come out and do it and see them, that's what it's all about, especially for the place where you're from and spend a lot of your years -- and potentially, after I'm done playing, live here as well. So it's good to get back out into the community.”