| charity spotlight
Stacking the Chips Against Pediatric Cancer The 10th Annual Chance for Life Charity Poker Tournament
Y
By Will Thomas
ou’re completely it launched in 2005. helpless. It’s The organization also absolutely a promises that every parent’s worst nightmare. dollar raised goes towards My wifeand I just curing spinal cancer and crumbled.” That’s how giving Kennedy another Jeff Snyder described year of hope. the moment he and his Jeff and Brad attended wife Kristy learned their Ithaca College together. I two-year-old daughter asked Jeff to describe how Kennedy had been he feels about Brad’s work diagnosed with a spinal to save lives and help cord tumor that was so children like Kennedy. large that seven hours of “I am overwhelmed emergency surgery was by Brad’s compassion, necessary. “Every parent empathy, generosity and has one job after their support,” he replied. “He Jeff Snyder, Kennedy Snyder, 2014 winner Shaun Dunevant and Brad Nierenberg (Photo by Joy Asico) child is born and that is is my brother.” to protect them,” Jeff said, I am honored to have “but we couldn’t.” Kennedy’s godfather, created Chance for been invited as a celebrity guest to this year’s The surgery left Kennedy paralyzed Life. He is the founder and president of Chance for Life Charity Poker Tournament from the chest down and she underwent Alexandria-based Red Peg Marketing, which and I will be joined by notables from the chemotherapy for nearly two years. It might helps Enterprise, GEICO and other large media and sports communities including sound insurmountable for anyone to tackle, companies brand themselves at events like Shawn Springs, Angie Goff, Brian Jarosinski, much less a toddler, but his daughter would the Indy 500. Chance For Life has become a Brian Mitchell, the Sports Junkies and Doug not be broken. “We saw so much will to fight mission for Brad and Red Peg Marketing to Kammerer. in Kennedy that she gave us the strength to save lives. Only a fraction of every dollar raised For more details, visit ChanceforLife.net. help guide her to recovery,” Jeff told me from for cancer research is earmarked for pediatric their family home in Wilton, Conn. cancer research, so charities like Chance For Will Thomas is co-anchor of Fox 5 Local News, daily Kennedy is now a 14-year-old high school Life are helping to fill in the gap with the at 11 p.m., and is responsible for several signature freshman and still living with a spinal tumor. generous support of sponsors that include segments including “Will You Eat There?” Her medical team is confident it has not PortMA, Brightline, Bisnow, Enterprise, Miller grown to the point that more chemotherapy or Coors and Ramsey Silver. surgery is needed. Kennedy walks with braces Brad and the RedPeg team have attracted on her legs and is unable to use her right hand 200 amateur poker players (with a buy-in of below the wrist, but her dad says you would $350), all competing for the Holy Grail of never know it. Poker: a grand prize of $10,000 and a seat at Kennedy is now the face and inspiration the 2015 World Series of Poker tournament in of an annual charity event that raises money Las Vegas. If you don’t play poker, you might and awareness for the Spinal Cord Tumor enjoy the wine tasting from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 Association’s efforts to find a cure for children p.m. or dancing at the after-party with live like Kennedy. The 10th annual Chance for music by the Doug Segree Band and DJ Dirty Life Charity Poker Tournament is a 13-hour Hands from 10:00 p.m. until midnight. event that kicks off at 8 p.m. on Feb. 21 at the Chance For Life pulled in more than Fox 5 anchorman Will Thomas Sphinx Club at 1315 K St. NW. $100,000 last year and aims to raise enough (Photo courtesy Fox 5 News) Brad Nierenberg, Jeff ’s best friend and this year to surpass the $1 million raised since
68
WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
| FEBRUARY
2015
| washingtonlife.com