The ‘Smash the Guts’ pickleball tournament in Barrie successfully brought together nearly 60 participants on Saturday to raise awareness and funds for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. These two inflammatory bowel diseases are among the most common in Canada, with one person being diagnosed with either condition every 48 minutes.
Raising Awareness for Crohn’s and Colitis
Crohn’s and Colitis Canada reports that Canada has some of the highest incidence rates of these diseases globally. The ‘Smash the Guts’ initiative seeks to fight back against the growing prevalence of these conditions by leveraging the popularity of pickleball, one of Canada’s fastest-growing sports.
Sean Madden, an organizer of the Barrie tournament, highlighted the connection between the sport and the diseases, saying,
“It’s one of the fastest growing sports in Canada. Same with Crohn’s and colitis. It’s one of the fastest growing diseases in Canada.” – (Sean Madden)
Expanding the Tournament Across Canada
The ‘Smash the Guts’ tournament, which began in Toronto and Niagara last year, made its debut in Barrie this year. The goal for this year’s event was to raise between $20,000 and $25,000 to support the fight against Crohn’s and colitis.
Nicole Sage, development and community engagement coordinator for Crohn’s & Colitis Canada, explained the importance of spreading awareness.
“We’re definitely spreading awareness because people are walking by our tournament table saying, ‘hey I have Crohn’s,’ or, ‘my loved one has ulcerative colitis, I didn’t know you existed.’” – (Nicole Sage)
“Then they can get resources, they can learn about our chapters, learn about other fundraising events. So the awareness is definitely happening with the fundraising dollars.” – (Nicole Sage)
Barrie Joins a Growing Movement
Barrie is now the third city to host a ‘Smash the Guts’ tournament, with hopes of expanding the event to more cities across the country. Sage emphasized the purpose of the tournament, saying,
“We’re smashing the guts, we are bringing awareness, we’re getting people talking about Crohn’s and colitis and we’re having fun with all the pickleball lovers.” – (Nicole Sage)
“That’s really what it’s all about. Having fun, raising awareness and raising important funds for more research that is needed to hopefully find that cure for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.” – (Nicole Sage)
Fun with a Purpose
While the event brought together pickleball enthusiasts for friendly competition, it was ultimately focused on raising awareness and funding for research.
Organizers hope the continued success of these tournaments will help bring attention to the need for more research into finding a cure for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
News in Brief: ‘Smash the Guts’ Pickleball Tournament
The ‘Smash the Guts’ pickleball tournament in Barrie raised funds for Crohn’s and colitis awareness. Nearly 60 participants joined the pickleball event to support research for these diseases, with organizers aiming to raise $20,000 to $25,000. The initiative has expanded across Canada, helping to spread awareness and engage communities.
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