What makes the OCM community an amazing place to be? Its members.
OCM holders give their time and resources to those that need them most. We saw a shining example of this last month, with our member Ryan Blank showing up for kids in need in a big way. He recently donated five percent of his poker earnings to the A-T Children’s Project to support research and awareness for the disease.
What is A-T?
A-T, short for Ataxia-telangiectasia, is a “rare genetic disease that attacks children, causing progressive loss of muscle control, immune system problems, and a high rate of cancer.” A-T affects between 1 in 40,000 and 1 in 100,000 births, although rates may be higher due to late diagnoses.
Ryan heard about A-T from another OCM member and immediately wanted to support the cause. OnChainMonkey supports the cause through its MonkeyMisFit community, a group dedicated to health and well-being. Members are pursuing a 10K challenge to raise funds and awareness for A-T.
The A-T Children’s Project executive director personally thanked Ryan for his support. She shared, “Research is accelerating on many fronts – including gene therapy and drug screening, to name a few – and we are more hopeful than ever that we will develop meaningful therapies in the near future.” We’re proud to have a community where giving back is second nature.
OCM at the Poker Table
Ryan is a self-proclaimed “philanthropic poker player.” With countless wins, he sees live poker as a powerful platform to attract support for meaningful causes.
He proudly kept his OCM hat on the poker table during the recent live-streamed game at Hustler Casino Live, showcasing our community to the world. Ryan said, “All worked out, in the end, thanks to a little monkey Karma luck by my side.” Ryan is the proud owner of Karma Monkey #3612 and part of the OCM Hoodie Club.
Ryan’s kindhearted pursuits extend beyond the poker world. He recently traveled to Costa Rica to spend time at an orphanage, interacting with the children and helping with tasks like cooking. Ryan recognizes the power of human connection, especially for youth in challenging situations. He plans to return with his son later this year and introduce him to the benefits of helping others.
Ryan on the !RISE
In addition to his poker pursuits, Ryan is a leader in the emerging self-storage development space. You can check out more of his work here. The OCM community applauds Ryan for his efforts and for embodying OCM’s values.
We look forward to more great community initiatives! Stay in touch with OnChainMonkey by checking out our Instagram and Twitter.