Publish date: 11 July 2025
Dr Sally Durdin joined the Trust in April but away from her role as an anaesthetist, she has another huge passion – playing basketball. Sally is off to play at the World Basketball Tournament next month, hoping to add another medal to her collection which includes Bronze in the 2024 European Championships and Gold in the 2024 Masters World Cup.
The tournament is taking place in Ticino, Switzerland with 395 teams confirmed including players who are over 70 years old.
Currently training three times a week, Sally runs, cycles and used to do triathlons as well as her beloved basketball which she took up at the age of 7. She played for Surrey and South East England, also playing for the university team in Manchester during her medical training there.
She says “I had moved on to triathlons but following a brain injury I returned to playing basketball during my recovery which took 2 years. I think having the injury has given me more appreciation – now I want to grab life with both hands, learn new things and progress, not just in my career but in sport as well.” She is now starting to powerlift as a further discipline to her sporting prowess.
It was a childhood dream to work in medicine, possibly as a GP until at medical school, Sally discovered her fascination for anaesthetics and has never looked back.
Sally’s enthusiasm for basketball is so strong that she wants to encourage others to get back into the sport, particularly older females who may think that age - or lack of height - is a barrier. She’s involved with FIMBA GB – the Federation of Masters Basketball Association, which facilitates opportunities for players to represent their country at international level, no matter their playing background. FIMBA operates regional camps looking for talent in age groups including over 60s who can compete at Tournaments. There’s also the Female Basketball Association (FBA)who help by providing kit to make the sport more accessible.
Reflecting on her experience so far at BTH, she says “Everybody here at BTH has been really welcoming. There’s a cardiac basketball team here who I join in with – and I also play for the Rossendale Raptors who are fairly local. Playing basketball is my escape from the world – there’s nothing it can’t fix.”
We wish Sally all the best for the tournament and for her future aspirations at the Trust.
