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Kelly’s Heroes gives people hope to live with pancreatic cancer. It's the third leading cause of cancer death in the United States, and is one of the few forms of cancer where mortality is rising instead of declining. The five-year relative survival rate of just 11 percent.
But there is always hope! Our work is inspired by Steve Kelly, an editor at the Philadelphia Inquirer, much-loved family man and friend to many. After he was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer at age 53, Steve participated in two clinical trials, advancing what we know about this terrible disease and creating opportunities for pancreatic cancer patients today and tomorrow. That legacy lives on in the Steve Kelly Fund for Pancreatic Cancer Research at Johns Hopkins, which provides greater treatment options for patients and supports efforts to develop a much-needed early-detection test.
Steve Kelly died 22 months after his diagnosis. In those 22 months, he white-water rafted and ziplined in Costa Rica; ran a 5K with his daughter; and donned his kilt and poured the Guinness at his annual St. Patrick’s Day bash. Writing for the Inquirer, Steve said, “I’m not afraid of dying, but the thought of not living frightens the hell out of me.” Even with stage 4 cancer, he Lived with a capital L.
Kelly’s Heroes is committed to celebrating life by gathering good people together, raising funds for cancer research and waging hope against this terrible disease.
