According to a story from Syosset Jericho Tribune, the charity basketball fundraiser called Hoops for Harrison is back again this year. The tournament was named after Harrison Gillman, who now operates the tournament. The event was originally started in 2013 by Jagger, Harrison’s brother, and their cousin Ethan.
The purpose of the tournament is to fund raise for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the research and treatment of these diseases. Harrison was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at only seven years old. Jagger and Ethan are both off at college now, so Harrison, who is now a high schooler, was left in charge along with his friend Cameron Mikes. The tournament is a much anticipated event in the community.
The tournament features teams of three and was held on the thirteenth of January at a local community center. Since its first year, the event has continued to expand in size and has been continuously improved. 2018 is the first year in which adults are allowed to compete, turning the fundraiser into a day-long event. Initially, Harrison was not very comfortable with the fact that the event was named for him, but eventually he came to understand that the focus of the event was not on him alone. Crohn’s and colitis are both potentially debilitating and serious illnesses, and there are thousands like Harrison who need the funding and support that events like this can bring. To read more about colitis, click here.
The committee that plans the event is composed of seventeen teenagers that seek donations, recruit and train volunteers, and arrange other logistics. The volunteer committee is features teens from the surrounding communities, which helps bring in more participants. Many of them are passionate about basketball and see the tournament as both an opportunity to compete and a fun way to contribute to a worthy cause. The event also features a silent auction of antique sports memorabilia that helps the event raise more cash.
Harrison’s mother Rachel says that since Harrison’s original diagnosis there have been some substantial improvement in treatment options for Crohn’s. However, Rachel hopes that organizations like the CCFA will eventually fine a cure for the disease.
