Playing the hand you are dealt

Professional poker player Jan Fisher knows that you can’t predict the hand you’ll be dealt. After her own mother battled a blood disease, Jan is grateful to give back to NMDP, providing tangible resources for patients in need.

For 40 years, Jan has diligently pursued her passion: the poker industry. Every decision she made as a young adult was intentional to achieve her goal of playing poker and working with the poker world. She moved to Las Vegas at the age of 21, became a poker dealer and eventually worked her way into poker management. She became a poker tournament director and part owner of Card Player Cruises, operating up to eight poker cruises a year. Beyond bringing her joy in everyday life, the poker industry also has allowed Jan to financially support the causes she cares most about, including NMDP.

Jan’s reason for supporting NMDP is personal. It’s been more than 30 years since her mother passed away from a blood disease called Gaucher disease. Jan still remembers the hope that NMDP gave her family at the time. Although her mom didn’t make it to transplant, Jan learned more about how NMDP facilitates and supports patients throughout the process. She was compelled to join the registry, hoping she’d have an opportunity to save another life in her mom’s honor.

Remarkably, on the 10-year anniversary of her mother’s passing, Jan received a call that she was a potential match for a patient in need. Although Jan was not selected as the donor, this experience brought her even closer to our mission, and she has been supporting NMDP in various ways ever since. Most recently, Jan showed this commitment through a generous five-year gift pledge to NMDP.

While she was always willing to donate her time, Jan also sees the importance of donating financially. As her own family was navigating a potential transplant, she knows how fortunate they were. Her father, a physician, was equipped with extensive health literacy to make important decisions. She knows that many families are facing more difficult circumstances, especially now.

Throughout her career, Jan has always appreciated that poker is an equalizer. When the cards are dealt, it doesn’t matter what each player looks like or how much they have in their bank account. There’s no predicting how the cards will play. She recognizes the parallel to life, knowing that cancer and blood disease do not discriminate. However, the resources available to fight the disease can. This is why Jan is so committed to providing tangible relief and access to basic needs so that families can focus on what matters most—time together and healing.

We are very grateful for Jan’s ongoing partnership and dedication to supporting the NMDP patient assistance programs. Because of Jan and others like her, we are proud to offer a variety of financial resources and tools to help patients navigate their unique journey to a cure.

Like Jan, your support can help make an impact on our patients’ lives. To learn more, or to let us know that you have made a planned gift to support our life-saving work, please contact Amy Bigot at amy.bigot@nmdp.org or (763) 406-8725 | Toll Free: (800) 507-54271. We’d love to hear your story of generosity.