"Scott Kowalske Plays Through the Pain" WSOP Event #15
"42-year old Scott Kowalske was recently given only four months to live, and his greatest wish was to play in the World Series of Poker. Suffering from an extraordinarily rare case of chronic wasting disease, Kowalske is in constant, unbearable pain, eased only by high doses of medications used on late-stage cancer patients. Once a scratch golfer and the owner of a construction company, the bone in Kowalske's fingers has been eaten away by the disease, necessitating the amputation of an inch off each digit, and his legs are numb, requiring the use of crutches for him to get around. Doctors have been confounded with his condition and the only hope for Kowalkse's survival could be an experimental stem-cell transplant, a $28,000 procedure that is not covered by his insurance. Both his and his parents' financial resources have been completely exhausted. Poker is the one thing that has kept Kowalske going over the last several months. He loves the game and a deep finish here today might literally save his life."
. Thanks, Andy.