PartyPoker and the DT38 Foundation raise over £5,000 in their bid to raise awareness of testicular cancer. Jeffrey Haas wins the event.
The young West Ham striker, who died after a three-year battle against testicular cancer at the age of 20, will live on in the form of the DT38 Foundation. A non profit organization created by his mother Tracey in a bid to raise awareness of the deadly disease that robbed her of the right to see her son blossom into the fine young man he was becoming.
On Wednesday night, the DT38 Foundation and partypoker conjoined to host a special charity event on the eve of the World Poker Tour (WPT) National Main Event at Aspers Casino in Stratford.
The £100 buy-in event attracted 112 entrants, and £4,256 was raised for the DT38 Foundation, as £38 of each buy-in was set aside for the charity.
“Dylan loved all sorts of sports, and poker and gambling was always a part of the family.” Said Dylan’s mother Tracey.
The event attracted a raft of quality players and sportsmen alike. Lucille Cailly, Kevin Allen, Jamie Roberts, Charles Chattha, James Akenhead, Tony Dunst and even a rare appearance from Roland de Wolfe made up the pro poker player contingent. Formula One TV presenter Simon Lazenby, Crystal Palace and Australian captain Mile Jedinak, Luton Town defender Dan Potts, and Hull City player, and brother of Dylan, Taylor Tombides were present and correct from the world of sport.
When the event fell down to the final six players. It was agreed that each player would take £1,000 and donate the rest of the prize money to the DT38 Foundation. The winner of the event was a man who has had quite a fortnight: the soon to be departing Group Director of Poker for Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment Jeffrey Haas.
Haas had to deliver his own baby girl after it became apparent that he wouldn’t be able to get his heavily pregnant wife to hospital in time, days later he announced his decision to leave bwin, and now he has a very special parting gift.
The DT38 Foundation is so named because of the initials of Dylan Tombides, and the shirt number he wore when he played for West Ham. The club has since retired the number, a honor only previously reserved for the former West Ham and England World Cup winning captain Bobby Moore.
