Annual Jackson’s tournament tees off in Shelburne

August 26, 2017 · 0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

The ninth annual Jackson’s Hope FORE Hydrocephalus golf tournament got underway at the Shelburne Golf and Country Club in Shelburne on Saturday, August 19.

The yearly event raises funds for The Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Association of Ontario.

The tournament’s namesake, Jackson Ferguson, was born with hydrocephalus, a condition that causes an abnormal build-up of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles inside the brain.

Because of this condition, Jackson has undergone nine surgical procedures at SickKids hospital in Toronto that requires a shunt to be implanted to remove excess fluid.

Fortunately, the shunt is working fine and will grow with him over the next few years. Jackson celebrated two years surgery free on March 24, 2017.

An avid and talented golfer, Jackson hit the first shot to start Saturday’s tournament.

“It’s pretty cool,” is how ten year-old Jackson summed up the tournament. “I play golf here at the Shelburne Golf Club. I like the hitting. I like driving and I don’t think about anything else.”

The fact that he has a shunt to drain fluid doesn’t slow Jackson down at all. He’s a normal and active kid and unless you were told, you would have no idea he has the condition at all.

Around 120 golfers took part in the day long tournament that featured a round on the links followed by dinner and an auction in the Club House.

Prior to this year’s Tournament, Jackson’s Hope Fore Hydrocephalus has raised $48,000 for SickKids and $22,600 for The Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Association.

The event is hosted by Jackson’s mom, Tammy Trimble.

“This is the ninth annual tournament. We’re at capacity this year,” said Ms. Trimble. “We have 106 golfers and 20 more coming for dinner.”

She came up with the idea to support SickKids after her son was diagnosed with the condition.

“Jackson has hydrocephalus which is a build up of cerebral spinal fluid on the brain,” Ms. Trimble explained. “He was diagnosed at four months. He had his first surgery at six months and he has had nine brain surgeries to date. The more years we get out of the shunt the less likely it will be that he has to have another surgery. With kids in their teenage years the tube that is in his belly is enough for him to be six feet tall. As he grows the tube unravels with him. In the Tournament over eight years we’ve raised just over $70,000. Our goal every year is to raise $5000 and if we go above and beyond that we are extremely happy.”

The Tournament has a lot of support with people attending from around the region and as far away as Kawartha Lakes and Lindsay.

Jackson himself started the tournament by driving off the tee on the first hole surrounded by all the other golfers.