Doyle Brunson Suffering From Cancer
November 8, 2012 12:02 pmOn Tuesday, poker legend Doyle Brunson announced via Twitter he was suffering from a form of skin cancer known as squamous-cell cancer. The 79 year old has overcome malignant cancer three times in the past, and the ‘Godfather of Poker’ described the latest life-threatening illness as a “slow growth that is usually OK but it’s still something you’d rather not hear.”
The illness affecting Doyle is a common form of skin cancer which affect around 200,000 people each year. Fortunately, Brunson has already had the cancer operated on and removed, and is currently convalescing back in Nevada. Since announcing the news, Doyle has been inundated with messages of support from well-wishers, with a selection of tweets listed below:
Liv Boeree
“@TexDolly Sorry to hear that Doyle. You’ll kick its ass in no time! Thinking of you x”
Katie Dozier
“@TexDolly Sorry to hear this, but you’re a fighter and will get through this! :)”
Daniel Negreanu
“@TexDolly normal health rules don’t apply to you sir. You’ll be 150 and keep doctors shaking their heads cause they can’t explain St.Louise.”
In fact, Negreanu may have a point as in 1962, Doyle almost died from his first bout of cancer aged 29. Unfortunately, after the tumor was removed from his neck, it was discovered that the cancer had spread and was incurable. Nevertheless, the doctors operated on Doyle expecting it to prolong his life long enough to witness the birth of his baby. Instead, soon after no traces of the cancer could be discovered, an apparent miracle Doyle attributed to the prayers of friends, as well as that of self-proclaimed Christian faith healer Kathryn Kuhlman.
As Brunson wrote in Super System 2, later: “The odds against merely surviving the operation itself were very high..That the cancer had disappeared was incomprehensible to the staff at the hospital. Five doctors had unanimously agreed that it was a medical impossibility for me to live longer than a few more months, with or without the operation.”
Best wishes to the 10 times WSOP bracelet winner on his latest battle with cancer, and we would all like to wish him a speedy recovery.