After losing one of their members to cancer, pool players are gathering to support their memory, and cancer survivors, in a new charity tournament.
The Cancer Sucks - Scotch Doubles 8 Ball Tourney is taking place on Dec. 4 at 10 a.m. at Tony’s Billiards. During the tournament, volunteers will also be selling tickets for door prizes to help raise $5,000 for Canadian Cancer Research.
For The Association of Pool (TAP) Guelph, it’s a personal cause as many members within their league and other leagues have passed away from the disease.
“It’s something that has been hitting our TAP members, one after the other,” said Gina Dalessandro-Palmeroni, one of the tournament organizers and a member of TAP Guelph for about nine years.
Within the past two months, TAP Guelph lost an eight-year member named Joe Anderson, who passed away from brain cancer in his late 20s. Palmeroni said he had been previously diagnosed with throat cancer at 19, which he overcame.
“He loved fishing, he loved the outdoors, just all around a good, young guy,” said Bruce Williamson, operator of TAP Guelph, who played pool with Anderson on Thursdays.
Williamson recalls receiving a Facebook message from Anderson one day where he informed Williamson he would now longer be coming to pool and that he had six months.
“And I said, ‘You got a DUI or something?’ and he said, ‘No, I have brain cancer. The doctor has given me six months to live."
First joining the league when he was 20, Williamson said Anderson was liked by everyone.
“We call him the ‘Dr. Pepper Kid’ because at Tony’s they don’t sell Dr. Pepper, but the taxi place does, so he would go over there and buy anywhere between six or 10 Dr. Pepper’s, and then bring them back to the pool hall, and hand them out to everybody and have one himself,” said Williamson.
Besides Anderson, Palmeroni mentions there are other members of TAP Guelph who have battled cancer, or are currently going through it. In 2019, TAP Guelph member Emma Duell was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer, and another member named Lee Johnson was diagnosed with throat cancer.
"He had that removed and now he just finished his treatment and we're waiting until January for him to see if the scan came back clear," said Palermoni, who is also friends with Johnson.
With Guelph members reeling from the loss of Anderson, Palmeroni said the idea for the tournament formed.
“We thought, ‘You know what? We want to try and do something, we want to try and have a tournament, we want to try and raise awareness and we want to try and raise some money for the cause,'” she said. “I know there’s some people who lose their battle, and some people who don’t and so they fight and they survive."
To sign up, teams pay a $120 registration fee with $20 going toward the charity. Those who aren’t interested in playing the tournament can also make a $5 donation here.
Since it was announced, Williamson said 15 teams have already signed up.
“We have players coming in from out of Kitchener-Waterloo, we have players coming in from Mississauga and Toronto for this tournament, it will generate something positive,” said Williamson.
With league members participating in other past charity tournaments, he expects more teams will sign up closer to the end of the registration period.
“It’s trying to do what we can to show our appreciation and do what we can to support with the donations.”
To learn more about Cancer Sucks - Scotch Doubles 8 Ball Tourney, click here.
