From wire reports
DeeRonn Booker, a 35-year-old PBA Tour player, announced last week he has been diagnosed with BPDCN (blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm), a rare and aggressive form of leukemia.
Booker said he has begun chemotherapy treatment for the cancer and will require a bone marrow transplant.
“I’m never one to share bad news over social media, but I felt like this was important,” Booker wrote on social media. “I have a long road to recovery, but I’m going to beat this.”
Booker posted the following update Monday and wrote that he spent multiple days in the ICU due to septic shock.
“After a couple rough days in ICU due to Septic Shock, which lowered my blood pressure to the point where I was unresponsive for some time, the teams here at UNM Hospital worked around the clock to get the E. coli infection out of my body, as well as make sure my body can maintain the correct blood pressure levels without medication, in order to continue treatment. I was able to read and see what everyone is saying over Facebook and it brings tears to my eyes seeing all the support from everyone. I’m so grateful to have everyone behind me during the hardest time of my life.. I’m fighting hard to be back so we can continue to make as many memories as we can. From the bottom of my heart I Thank you so much. I’m going to make it through this.”
Booker, currently in his fourth season on the PBA Tour, has one PBA Tour title to his name.
He won the 2024 USBC Masters in dominant fashion, including an undefeated run in match play with wins over then-two-time defending champion Anthony Simonsen and EJ Tackett.
Booker became the third Black player, alongside George Branham III and Gary Faulkner Jr., to win PBA Tour titles. Alex Horton joined the group this season by winning the PBA Tournament of Champions. All four have won a major championship.
“I want to help everyone from every ethnic background to get to this spot right here,” Booker said before the title match. “This is what I’ve dreamed of. This is what I worked towards, and I will dedicate myself as an ambassador of this sport to allow anyone to sit here and do this.”
Booker won the doubles Eagle in the 2023 USBC Open Championships with longtime friend Mark Curtis Jr. He has also contended for a berth on the U.S. national team in multiple Team USA Trials.
He believed a breakthrough on the PBA Tour was inevitable.
“With the amount of work that I put in, I knew I was going to be here sometime,” Booker said moments after winning the Masters. “I’m here now. I’m not going anywhere. I hope you guys can see me.
“What this does is just inspires me to keep inspiring others to do this, to get here, to be here. So when I get back home, come and see me. Let’s do this together.”
Booker’s sister, Kaprice, organized a GoFundMe to “help with medical bills, co-pays, and future financial challenges related to the disease.”
Within four days of Booker sharing his diagnosis, the bowling community has raised more than $37,000 in support of him.