Two-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner Jennifer Harman pledged to donate a portion of her poker tournament earnings to kidney disease research.
Harman, who suffers from the disease herself and has had two previous transplants, has taken the Poker Players International "All-In for a Cure" pledge and will donate 1% of her earnings to The NephCure Foundation, which supports research into the debilitating kidney diseases Nephrotic Syndrome and FSGS (Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis).
Harman said on February 2nd, 2010 that having kidney disease is very difficult and it affects adults and children alike. She said that NephCure is trying to discover an answer and she wants to help by joining "All-in for a Cure". Nephcure has allocated more than $6 million to research of Nephrotic Syndrome and FSGS, two conditions that affect the small filtering mechanisms in the kidney.
Former NBA star Alonzo Mourning suffered from Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis before receiving a kidney transplant. The cause for these kidney diseases is unknown and there is no known cure.
PPI's Marketing and Player Development Leader Eric Siegel, whose son suffers from the Nephrotic Syndrome, said that having Jennifer Harman involved in this program is an enormous benefit for everyone and it may inspire more poker players to come on board.
Siegel said that Harman understands the responsibility of giving back and by doing so; hopefully they can find a cure for this disease that affects a lot of individuals.
Well-known for playing in some of the biggest poker cash games in the world, Harman has more than $2.3 million in career tournament earnings, including two World Series of Poker wins and two World Poker Tour (WPT) final tables.
A number of other poker players, including 2009 PokerStars EPT London High Roller winner Matt Glantz, have also taken the pledge to help the NephCure Foundation.
02/21/2010 12:00 PM