Poker in Pink: Tom McEvoy Plays for Daughter Battling Breast Cancer
Tom McEvoy is easy to spot in Day 2A in the Amazon room at the Rio. His pink Stetson hat and western shirt make the Poker Hall of Famer stand out in the Main Event. He’s not just trying to be a spectacle or just bring back some Old West flare to the WSOP.
Today, McEvoy may be playing the Main Event, but his mind seems to be elsewhere. Focusing on cards isn’t as easy. His pink attire has a special meaning and he’s seeking something from the poker community – prayers.
His Daughter's Battle
McEvoy’s daughter Melanie McEvoy was recently diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time, and the pink Stetson is his way of trying to raise some awareness about the disease. He also is hoping some in the poker community might look to a higher power in support.
With four WSOP bracelets including the 1983 Main Event, McEvoy has plenty of career highlights including more than $3 million in live tournament winnings. But all that doesn’t matter right now. Melanie has already had one breast removed from the disease and McEvoy is hoping she makes it through this round okay.
“She dyed her hair pink, but it’s starting to fall out from chemo,” he says. “I could have dyed my hair or shaved my head. My choice was just to wear pink. It's not so easy to find pink Stetsons, but I did.”
It’s his way to make a statement and support his daughter. Today at the Rio, he’s using a pink ribbon card protector that she gave him, which says “Faith, Hope, Courage.” A breast cancer awareness ribbon pin that she gave him is also attached to his shirt pocket.
There was only about a 10 percent chance Melanie could get the disease again after having a single mastectomy nine years ago, but the disease has returned.
“So it was kind of a real bad break for it to come back,” he says. “She was a cancer survivor, and is involved in charitable work that includes causes related to breast cancer.”
“I'm really asking people to just say a pray for her.”
According to BreastCancer.org, about 1 in 8 women in the U.S. will develop invasive breast cancer during their lifetime. In 2018, an estimated 266,120 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in the U.S.
As he continues playing, Melanie remains on McEvoy’s mind no matter how the cards fall.
“I'm really asking people to just say a prayer for her,” he says. “I don't care what religious belief they are. I don't care if they're Muslim, Jewish, Catholic, Christian, agnostic, or even atheist. They've got nothing to lose by saying a prayer.”
For more information or to donate, visit the American Breast Cancer Foundation.
Sean Chaffin is a freelance writer in Crandall, Texas. His work appears in numerous websites and publications. Follow him on Twitter @PokerTraditions. He is also the host of the True Gambling Stories podcast, available on iTunes, Google Play, TuneIn Radio, Spotify, Stitcher, PokerNews.com, HoldemRadio.com, and TrueGamblingStories.com.
