Monday night at the Bellagio, more than a dozen poker players and poker media members shaved their heads out of the kindness of their hearts as a gesture of support for young Thuy Doan. Doan is a recent college graduate and professional poker player who was recently stricken with cancer. As a result of her chemotherapy, Doan is now sporting a shaved head.

Barry Greenstein and several other players decided a nice gesture to boost Doan’s morale would be to shave their heads as well. After play ended on Day 1 of the Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic, a group of players congregated in Phil Ivey’s villa so a professional barber could shave them bald. Players who took part in the gesture included Greenstein, Doyle Brunson, Eli Elezra, Dan O’Brien, Sorel “Imper1um” Mizzi, Tom “durrrr” Dwan and Bertrand “ElKY” Grospellier.

Doan drove from Los Angeles to Las Vegas to view the event and recently posted a blog on PokerRoad detailing the experience. At first the players involved drew red or black cards to determine which group would go bald for Doan, but thanks to a little peer pressure, they were able to convince the entire group to go under the blade. According to Doan, 17 different players took part in the event which. “Never did I imagine the incredible turnout, outpouring of love, and level of compassion displayed by everyone there”, Doan blogged. “It was a truly memorable night.” It was also a memorable next day, as several of the players filed into the Fontana Lounge at Bellagio for Day 2 of the tournament and smiled as cameras snapped photos of their new ‘dos, or lack thereof.

Doan originally planned to pursue poker full time, after graduating from college, but her medical woes have prevented her from traveling the live circuit. Despite her young age, she still has several notable live results, including a final table appearance at a World Series of Poker preliminary event in 2008 worth $69,165.