Friday, March 13, is your lucky day! It’s Kelly’s Heroes’ 5th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Party, where we party for a purpose – a better future for those facing pancreatic cancer.

The annual event will be held 7 to 11 p.m. at Mercer Oaks in Princeton Junction, New Jersey. Proceeds benefit the Steve Kelly Fund for Pancreatic Research at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins.

Your registration includes Irish-inspired hors d’oeuvres, dinner buffet, open bar, entertainment by the Denogla Ardmore dancers, an open dance floor with DJ Kyle, raffles and more! Steve Kelly always called his annual St. Patrick’s Day party one of the best days of the year. Let’s celebrate his memory and continue his legacy of hope.

Download our mail-in registration form for more details, or go to the Join Us page to pay securely online using the Donate button.

Kelly’s Heroes’ 5th Annual Teed Off! Golf Outing marked a major milestone Oct. 8, as the nonprofit announced the establishment of the $100,000 Steve Kelly Fund for Pancreatic Cancer Research at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins.

“This is made possible through your generous support,” Kelly’s Heroes co-founder Kerry McKean Kelly told the golfers and sponsors gathered at the event. “You make hope happen.”

A record turnout of 96 golfers hit the links with Kelly’s Heroes, raising $16,000 to support clinical trials for those diagnosed with the world’s toughest cancer.

The winner of the Green Jacket — a Steve Kelly tradition — was Bob Knorr. Congratulations also to the winning team of Bill Habib, Luke Habib, Matt Pruitt and Tom Rozmus. Second place went to Steve Kettelberger, Jim Bergen, Joe Quattrone and Christine Anderson, while third place went to Tom Meneskie, Rich Bloemeke and Jim Dailey.

Kelly’s Heroes also extends its thanks to its generous sponsors:

• Blue Rock Construction
• Erytech
• Pennsylvania Steel Company
• The Philadelphia Inquirer/Philly.com
• Habib Law
• M & T Bank
• Jackson Cross
• The Macrae Family

Join us Oct. 8, 2019, at Mercer Oaks in Princeton Junction, N.J., for our 5th Annual Teed Off! Golf Outing to Fight Pancreatic Cancer. All proceeds benefit patient clinical trials at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins in memory of Steve Kelly, who never stopped waging hope.

Enjoy the Mercer Oaks East course in a 9 a.m. shotgun start in a four-person best ball scramble. Your $150 registration includes 18 holes, golf cart, boxed lunch and drinks on course, prizes and a post-match dinner buffet with cocktails. If you’re lucky, you could win a raffle basket or the prestigious Kelly’s Heroes green jacket.

We invite sponsors to join us for golf and networking. It’s a good time, a great cause and a wonderful way to showcase your organization’s commitment to the community.

While we pride ourselves on running a fun and friendly golf event, we’re serious about our cause. Pancreatic cancer is the deadliest of all major cancers, with a five-year survival rate of just 9 percent. Our inspiration Steve Kelly was one of the 40,000 people annually who die of the disease. As an all-volunteer 501c3, Kelly’s Heroes devotes 100 percent of its proceeds to ensure a future of hope for others facing pancreatic cancer.

Download our Registration form or go to the Join Us page to pay securely online using PayPal.

Kelly’s Heroes presented a $20,000 check to wage hope against pancreatic cancer, surrounded by more than 120 supporters at its annual St. Patrick’s Day fund raiser March 14 at Mercer Oaks in Princeton Junction.

Kelly’s Heroes co-founder Kerry McKean Kelly presented the check to Dr. Lei Zheng, co-director of the Precision Medicine Center for Excellence for Pancreatic Cancer at Johns Hopkins. Dr. Zheng is one of the nation’s leading physician-researchers in pancreatic cancer and, more importantly to Kelly’s Heroes, doctor of Steve Kelly, who inspired the creation of the nonprofit following his death of pancreatic cancer in April 2015.

Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death, with a five-year survival rate of just 9 percent. Patients often hope for a miracle against the deadly cancer, but Dr. Zheng recalled that Steve Kelly “found the miracle” in living life to the fullest during his 22 months living with pancreatic cancer.

Kelly’s Heroes also was honored to host pancreatic cancer patient Arnold Simon at its St. Patrick’s Day celebration. Simon, of Baltimore, said he’s feeling great two years after his pancreatic cancer diagnosis. His experimental treatment regimen is a variation of the combination of drugs that Steve Kelly had received in one of two clinical trials he volunteered for. Simon credited Kelly for paving the way for improved outcomes for others facing pancreatic cancer.

Kelly’s Heroes’ donation will support clinical trials and research for other pancreatic cancer patients, giving them greater hope for increased survival.

The annual St. Patrick’s Day party featured a performance from the Denogla Ardmore School of Dance, as well as an array of raffle baskets from generous businesses.

Kelly’s Heroes sends its appreciation to the following businesses for their generosity: Audi of Princeton, Killarney’s, Cross and Shamrock, Ritchie and Paige Distribution Co., Capuanos, Pizzeria Uno, Retro Fitness, Edible Arrangements, Hilton Garden Inn Hamilton, Holiday Inn East Windsor, Hand and Stone, Shiseido, Mahzu, Applebee’s, Villa Barone, City Streets, Home Depot, Walmart, Issa Salon, Conair, Buy Rite Liquors, 4 Seasons Deli, Rossi’s, Carlucci’s, Tomasello Wines, Harvest Grille, Exit 8 Lounge, Americana, Picture Show, Hightstown Diner, Prestige Diner, Town Diner, Zinna’s Bistro, Cream Ridge Winery, East Windsor Bowl, Perkins, Dairy Queen, YogurtLand, Friday’s, Turning Point, Picture Show, iPlay America, Trenton Thunder, Rockville, BounceU, New York Red Bulls, Summit Grand Hotel, the State Theatre and the Newseum.

Kelly’s Heroes will celebrate its 4th annual St. Patrick’s Day Party Friday, March 15, at Mercer Oaks in Princeton Junction. It’s a new  location, but the same grand time for an important cause! Please join us, and spread the word!

Your registration includes hearty Irish-inspired appetizers, a pasta buffet, beer, wine and dessert – plus entertainment including champion Irish dancers, DJ and dancing and our biggest selection of raffle baskets yet. All proceeds support patient clinical trials at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, along with scholarships for Hightstown and Notre Dame high school students pursuing studies in healthcare.

Register by March 8 for our early discount rate of $60; $65 after that date. Register online on our Join Us page using the Donate button (PayPal), or print and mail the registration form with check payable to Kelly’s Heroes: 2019 St. Patrick’s Day Party registration

Filling in your new 2019 calendar? Save Friday, March 15, for the 4th annual Kelly’s Heroes St. Patrick’s Day Party at our new Mercer Oaks location in Princeton Junction, N.J. Our party with a purpose supports clinical trials for those facing pancreatic cancer. Registration details coming soon!

World Pancreatic Cancer Day is Nov. 15 and we need your help to raise awareness. Pancreatic cancer is on pace to become the world’s second leading cause of cancer death, and the five-year survival rate is just 9 percent in the United States. Increased awareness helps us change that course.

So how can you help? Wear purple on Nov. 15 and tell people it’s because you demand better for those facing pancreatic cancer. Then multiply your reach by snapping a photo of yourself, your family, your coworkers, your teammates, your dog and share it on Kelly’s Heroes’ social media. Use hashtag #WPCD. Kerry McKean Kelly has pledged to donate $5 to pancreatic cancer research for every photo shared. PLUS! we’ll draw a winner at random from among your photos to receive a Kelly’s Heroes prize pack. Tag us on Twitter @1kellysheroes; on Instagram @1kellysheroes; and on Facebook @1kellysheroes, Kelly’s Heroes: Fighting Pancreatic Cancer. Or email your photo to kmckeankelly@msn.com. Let’s turn the world purple Nov. 15! Learn more about our joint efforts with the World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition here: http://www.worldpancreaticcancerday.org/

Golfers, sponsors and volunteers gathered yesterday at Mercer Oaks in Princeton Junction, N.J., for Kelly’s Heroes 4^th Annual Teed Off! Golf Outing to Fight Pancreatic Cancer. They were there taking care of a bit of unfinished business.

“As Steve was going through his treatments in two different clinical trials, he truly believed that the science was getting closer to a breakthrough,” said Kerry McKean Kelly, wife of Kelly’s Heroes inspiration Steve Kelly. “We’re here taking care of Steve’s unfinished business – raising funds and waging hope against pancreatic cancer. So thanks to all of you for being one of Steve Kelly’s Heroes.”

The annual event raised more than $10,000 to support cancer research at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins. Hopkin’s Ellen Roberts was a special guest, sharing details of the promising research of Drs. Dung Le, Lei Zheng and Bert Vogelstein that Kelly’s Heroes supports. Drs. Le and Zheng were part of Steve Kelly’s care team, while Dr. Vogelstein provided Steve expert counsel on new treatments. They are among the nation’s most renowned pancreatic cancer clinicians and researchers. Roberts shared a sampling of their most recent works:

• Vogelstein and his team developed a blood test that screens for eight common types of cancer, including pancreatic. There is no existing screening test for pancreatic cancer. The test, called CancerSEEK, has had very promising results in its early phases. Within a generation, this test could make pancreatic cancer screening a part of routine bloodwork – a true game changer that would save thousands of lives.
• Le, who was part of the team that developed the immunotherapy drug Keytruda, continues to focus on immunotherapy and combination therapies. Her latest research builds on the chemotherapy trial that Steve participated in, testing a cocktail of chemo drugs at lower doses. The goal is to fight tumors while reducing side effects and maintaining the patient’s quality of life – two priorities for Dr. Le.
• Zheng recently was named co-director of the Precision Medicine Center of Excellence for Pancreatic Cancer. He and his colleagues will perform genomic sequencing on every patient to identify the most effective treatment and drugs based on the patient’s individual genetic makeup.

It’s critically important work that wouldn’t be possible without philanthropic support, said Roberts.

“To this day, (Steve’s) courageous struggle and his determination to raise awareness and funding for pancreatic research – and which you continue to do today – inspires us and our colleagues in a quest for a cure,” said Roberts.

We’re all winners when we raise funds for pancreatic cancer research, but Kelly’s Heroes congratulates the following golfers who were winners on the links as well at our 4^th Annual Teed Off! Golf Outing to Fight Pancreatic Cancer.

Jerry Solujich was a first-time recipient of the Green Jacket for coming closest to the pin on hole 8. The Green Jacket is a Steve Kelly tradition that originated nearly 20 years ago at his annual St. Patrick’s Day Party. Congratulations to Jerry for becoming part of the legend!

Solujich also was part of the winning foursome which also included Ed Murawinski, Mark Skahan and Steve Rhamstine.

The second-place team was Barry Fox, Bob Knorr, Mike Vermes and Tom Pohl, followed by Danny Tanner, Ken Balcome, Len Rodak and Russ Snyder.

Other individual winners included Jude Habib and Katrina Campbell for the longest drives, Judy Uosikkinen for coming closest to the pin on hole 5, and our Sink Cancer putting winners, James Smith and Ed Murawinski.