On March 28, Rich Slay won the Coastal Tower Classic, a Premodern tournament in Massachusetts.

What's notable is that while any tournament victory is an achievement, this particular tournament stood out. It wasn't organized simply to allow for the best Premodern players in the area to show off their skills, but rather to support those afflicted with a rare disease called Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC).

Today (May 15) is TSC Global Awareness Day, an annual occasion dedicated to raising visibility for the rare genetic disorder that affects roughly one million people worldwide. And thanks to efforts like the Coastal Tower Classic, that visibility has become a personal cause for Magic players.

Winner of the inaugural Coastal Tower Classic, Rich Shay. (Photos provided)

What Is TSC?

Tuberous Sclerosis Complex is a rare genetic disorder that causes benign tumors to grow in multiple organs, most significantly the brain, kidneys, heart, lungs, eyes, and skin. There is no cure.

TSC can cause seizures, developmental delays, intellectual disabilities, behavioral challenges, and autism spectrum disorder, though its effects vary widely from person to person. At least two children born in the United States every day will have TSC, and an estimated one million people worldwide are currently living with the condition.

The TSC Alliance, founded in 1974, is the leading nonprofit supporting those affected by TSC. It funds research, facilitates clinical trials, maintains a biosample repository and natural history database, and provides families with educational resources, advocacy support, and connections to care.

The Coastal Tower Classic

Eventual winner Rich Shay does battle in the finals of the Coastal Tower Classic.

The Coastal Tower Classic welcomed 49 players who battled it out in Premodern for the chance to be crowned champion. The event also featured raffles and other prizes, all in the effort to spread awareness of TSC. And it worked - the event raised $1,600 for the TSC Alliance, combining $1,070 from tournament entries and $530 from side raffles.

The tournament was organized by Brandon Todesca, the father of a son affected by TSC and a Magic player since Fourth Edition who returned to the game after a nearly two-decade hiatus. Running six rounds of Swiss with a cut to Top 8, The Coastal Tower Classic was won by Rich Shay, a longtime competitor whose resume includes the Pro Tour, Vintage World Championships, and a victory at LobsterCon, the largest PreModern event of 2025.

Todesca also awarded a "Spiciest Deck" Award, taken home by Clara Smith with her original "Goth Girls" build. The combination of that award, a proxy allowance, and the charitable framing resulted in what Todesca described as one of the most diverse metagames of any tournament. Space Cow Media, parent company of EDHREC and Archidekt, contributed swag distributed as randomized door prizes between rounds.

Clara Kim shows off the prizes earned by having the "spiciest deck."

One attendee, said Todesca, was even inspired to direct his company's annual charitable allocation of $500 to the TSC Alliance, bringing the event's total impact to approximately $2,100. Many attendees told Todesca they had never heard of TSC before the event: "Many (players) told me they had never heard of TSC before, but they still showed overwhelming generosity for the cause."

And the best piece of feedback he received came from an attendee named Rob M.: "The problem with this event is that there isn't another one."

That's something Todesca is planning to rectify, as a second, larger Coastal Tower Classic is planned for late September or early October.

The Step Forward to Cure TSC Walk

Less than a month later, on April 26, the Step Forward to Cure TSC Walk took place in Rockville, Maryland. The event drew 232 participants across 25 teams and raised $38,332 for TSC research, programs, and care. Per the event, participants get involved by symbolically passing a digital baton across all seven continents, and throughout the month of May, the relay baton passes virtually between regions, carrying stories and highlights from the TSC community.

This awareness campaign is for everyone, everywhere: individuals, families, healthcare providers, researchers, schools, workplaces, clinics, hospitals, corporate partners, influencers, organizations, and TSC associations.

Space Cow Media's Lauren Shillinger, with Evan Moss

Among the walk's co-hosts was Lauren Shillinger, a member of the Space Cow Media team, and a TSC parent. "My daughter was diagnosed with TSC as an infant," Shillinger has said. "The TSC Alliance was the first resource our family turned to, and they have been there ever since. To be able to be part of what we do at Space Cow Media and see how we are putting the magic in paying it forward is so rewarding, and allows us to be a part of the community in a different way."

At the Walk, Shillinger was able to catch up with Evan Moss, an avid Magic player diagnosed with TSC. "The Walk gives time for people to connect in person," said Shillinger. "To be able to see Evan there and talk about Magic and TSC, it’s like a full circle moment."

The TSC Alliance recognized Shillinger and her co-host Michal Cepler by name in its post-event communication to participants. Walk fundraising remains open through the end of the month. For more information about the TSC Walk and how to participate or contribute, head here.

What You Can Do

To learn more about TSC, visit tscalliance.org.

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