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Eric Douglin: Founder of World Club Basketball Tournament
Here we are shining a light on Eric Douglin, one of our Salts Healthcare Advocates. Eric is lucky to be alive, having received emergency surgery to form a stoma in January 2021 after diverticulitis caused a perforation in his bowel. He then developed sepsis and contracted Covid-19. Poor Eric endured a lonely hospital stay following his surgery, due to the restrictions on visitors during the pandemic. He says that his love of basketball helped his recovery and he has gone on to organise this year’s World Club Basketball Tournament (WCBT) in Hastings, East Sussex, in September.
The WCBT has run since Eric and his wife founded the organisation and arranged the first event in 2015, but unfortunately it was unable to take place during 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. So this year’s event was even more special and hugely anticipated. The purpose of the tournament is to provide players of all abilities based in the UK with the unique opportunity to compete against other international teams. Over a weekend, 10 international teams compete in a round robin format against each other. The winning team this year was Toben Basketball from Toronto, Canada, an experienced and exciting team, which included professional players who have competed for the Canadian National basketball team.
Salts Healthcare was delighted to sponsor the self-funded event. We think Eric has done an amazing job organising and growing this international event, which has now this year also been used as a platform to raise awareness of people having a stoma and invisible illnesses.
Eric is extremely proud to have won a local award in November this year: Sussex Sports Award Volunteer of the Year, as well as being announced as runner-up in the Outstanding Contribution to Sports & Physical category.
Congratulations on your award Eric! We look forward to hearing all about the World Club Basketball Tournament in 2023, and wish you all the very best with the plans.
