In the last two years, Darren Douma has earned first or second place in his sight category in about a half-dozen blind golf tournaments, earning trophies at the Canadian, Australian and world levels.
He’s in line for further recognition now, being named a finalist in Sport BC’s Athlete of the Year Awards, joined by two others in the athlete with a disability category.
“It’s pretty exciting and humbling to be picked,” said Douma, ,who has Stargardt disease, an incurable and rare genetic juvenile form of macular degeneration, affecting central fine vision.
He gave a lot of credit to his sight coaches, including his brother, Darcy, who was his sight coach at the Canadian open tournament held in Creston last summer.
“Without those guys, it’s hard to do what I do,” he said.
Douma was nominated along with Vancouver’s Trevor Hirschfield (wheelchair rugby) and Maple Ridge’s Nathan Stein (swimming), and will find out who wins next month at an awards ceremony in Vancouver.
“I hope just the fact that I’m out there trying to compete will encourage people in any sport,” he said. “I’m inspired to be up against someone doing the swimming and someone doing wheelchair rugby.
“To be selected is just mind-blowing.”
Until then, he’s keeping busy, currently promoting White Cane Week (Feb. 7-13), which he’ll kick off a day early with a smokie sale at Overwaitea Foods from 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Feb. 6. The objective of White Cane Week, promoted by the Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB) and Visually Impaired-Blind Empowerment (VICE), has been a national event in Canada since 1946, educating the public on blindness and vision impairment.
“It brings awareness to where the white cane came from and how it evolved,” said Douma. “It’s known internationally as a sign for blindness.”
Saturday’s fundraiser proceeds will help support Douma’s blind golf efforts — he has four tournaments (U.S., Western Canadian, Canadian and Commonwealth) scheduled this year — and the local chapter of VIBE, which he hopes to get locals involved in.
“We really want to get some visually impaired people on our board,” he said.
It also allows Douma to promote Mobile Eye Clinic vans, a CCB initiative that he hopes to bring to B.C. The vans run in Ontario, visiting schools and seniors homes. Checkups at about 20 schools revealed 30 per cent of kids had a pre-existing condition, and about 65 per cent of seniors had one or more treatable conditions.
The vans each cost about $200,000 to start up, and $150,000 every year after. Douma plans to make presentations to local Rotary and Lions clubs to start building awareness in the Kootenays. With macular degeneration expected to double by 2030, now is the time for communities to invest in eye care.
“I’m hoping all of B.C. will get the Lions and Rotary on board,” he said.
As with all of Douma’s efforts, his focus is on ability rather than disability.
“In my vision advocacy and blind golf endeavours, I try and inspire others every day,” he said. “At the same time, I am being inspired by the actions of those coming out to play blind golf or volunteer.
“No pun intended, but we really see ability shine while the disability fades into the darkness, even for a short period of time.”