Kelly’s Heroes has made a $15,000 donation to The Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins to support clinical trials for patients facing pancreatic cancer.

The money will help increase access for patients seeking to join a clinical trial, said Dung Le, MD, who leads several clinical trials at the hospital, including the immunotherapy trial that Kelly’s Heroes inspiration Steve Kelly participated in.

“We are very grateful for your hard work and your generosity,” said Dr. Le.

The money was raised through donations and Kelly’s Heroes events including its St. Patrick’s Day Party in March and its annual Teed Off! Gold Outing in October.

Kelly’s Heroes’ Kerry Kelly was in Berkeley, Calif., Oct. 28 to meet with Aduro Biotech CEO Stephen Issacs and his team of scientists who developed CRS-207, one of the immunotherapy drugs used in the clinical trial Steve participated in.

Kerry was invited to share Steve’s experiences as a clinical trial hero – part of the company’s commitment to never lose sight of the reason for its research. Steve spent eight months on Aduro’s ECLIPSE trial. The clinical trial has since been suspended following mixed results in Phase 2, but for Steve, the trial allowed him to resume his normal quality of life — running, working, attending his daughters’ school events and even traveling to Costa Rica — as he lived with stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

“Steve always said, ‘I’m not afraid of dying, but the thought of not living frightens the hell out of me,'” recalled Kerry Kelly. “Steve’s treatment goal was longevity, balanced with quality of life. The immunotherapy trial allowed Steve to truly live the kind of life he wanted.”

Issacs, Aduro’s founder, presented Kelly’s Heroes with a $2,500 donation. Another highlight of the trip was touring the Aduro labs and meeting scientists like Meredith Leong and Dirk Brockstedt who have worked for years on CRS-207. They are part of a team of brilliant people very committed to this work.

Kerry urged the Aduro researchers to continue their quest for improved treatments for pancreatic cancer, carrying on Steve’s legacy as a clinical trial participant waging hope for other cancer patients.

It was one amazing day as 87 golfers and scores of sponsors and donors helped Kelly’s Heroes raise more than $7,500 for pancreatic cancer research at its 2^nd annual Teed Off! golf outing Oct. 14 at Mercer Oaks in Princeton Junction, N.J.

The proceeds will support the Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy Research at Johns Hopkins, where Kelly’s Heroes inspiration Steve Kelly participated in an immunotherapy clinical trial.

The day kicked off with the presentation of a special proclamation by New Jersey Assemblyman Eric Houghtaling, a longtime advocate for those with pancreatic cancer and sponsor of the resolution that officially designated November as Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month in New Jersey. The proclamation praised Kelly’s Heroes, saying “this admired nonprofit organization has continued to uphold its praiseworthy mission of uniting people for the worthy cause of raising funds for cancer research.”

Out on the course, the foursome of Ryan Zerpa, Greg Rimenyder, Glen Roetman and Tyler Roetman turned in the lowest gross score at 12 under. A close second, at 11 under, was the team of Bob Sobkowiak, Jim McNamara, Mike Reardon and Richie Puntillo.

Major sponsors for the event were Blue Rock Construction, Pennsylvania Steel Company, NEPCO Nuclear Energy Products and Habib Law, along with hole sponsors Accent Construction, Cedar Hill Landscaping, The Clarke Family, Bev and Patrick Lynch, Oliver’s Bistro, Patriot Air, A Room with a View, Rosina Construction, V.J. Scozzari and Sons and Underground Graphics.

Kelly’s Heroes is thrilled to announce its first scholarship recipients: Brittany Konen of Middletown Township, Pa., Notre Dame High School, and Luke Schlaifer of Hightstown, N.J., Hightstown High School.

The Kelly’s Heroes scholarship of $500 recognizes good student-citizens who plan to serve others through a career in healthcare.

Konen will study nursing in the fall at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. She is a resident of Levittown’s Twin Oaks neighborhood where Kelly’s Heroes inspiration Steve Kelly grew up.

Schlaifer plans to study exercise science at Montclair State University in New Jersey. He has been an active supporter of Kelly’s Heroes’ efforts against pancreatic cancer and took part in the PurpleStride walk last November.

“Steve was always so appreciative of the nurses and other healthcare professionals who took care of him through his cancer treatment, and I know he would be very, very happy to help these two students get their start in a career of helping others,” said Steve’s wife Kerry McKean Kelly, who presented the awards.

Steve Kelly’s Philadelphia Inquirer colleagues gathered at the Pen and Pencil Club in Philadelphia last evening to remember Steve and raise funds for Kelly’s Heroes.

The event was hosted by Bill Marimow, an Inquirer editor, who recounted Steve’s affable manner in the newsroom and his skill in designing compelling front pages.

“I called him Merlin because he was such a wizard at it,” said Marimow.

Kelly’s Heroes was honored to be joined by Ellen Lilly-Foreman, RN, Steve’s nurse at Johns Hopkins, and Ellen Roberts, senior associate director of development at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins. Roberts thanked the attendees for their support and explained how the dollars donated by Kelly’s Heroes are directed to continue the pancreatic cancer research that Steve was so committed to as a clinical trial participant.

“Although he’s not here with us, we stand on Steve’s shoulders,” said Roberts.

Roberts also discussed Johns Hopkins’ new Bloomberg–Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, announced last month with the support of two $50 million gifts from former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and philanthropist Sidney Kimmel, founder of Jones Apparel Group. An additional $25 million for the center was contributed by more than a dozen additional supporters.

The gifts from Bloomberg and Kimmel are challenge grants, said Roberts, and the Kimmel Cancer Center must match the $50 million in donations with its own fund raising.

Immunotherapy aims to boost and activate the body’s own natural defenses to fight against abnormal cancer cells. Research at the institute will focus particularly on pancreatic, melanoma, colon, urologic, lung, breast, and ovarian cancers.

The following blog appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer. http://articles.philly.com/2016-04-18/news/72400624_1_steve-pancreatic-cancer-research-chemotherapy

Heroes Blog: What My Husband’s Cancer Couldn’t Take

By Kerry McKean Kelly

Kerry McKean Kelly is on the board of Kelly’s Heroes, a New Jersey-based nonprofit that raises money for pancreatic cancer research.

It’s been a year since my husband, Steve, died of pancreatic cancer at age 55. And still, there’s a magnet on the side of our refrigerator with the phone number of the oncology hotline and Steve’s wonderful nurse, Ellen.

I’m not quite sure why I haven’t removed that magnet. It might be that I just can’t accept the finality that would bring.

I imagine part of it is the fact that Steve’s handwriting is on it, and anything that was part of Steve has become a precious relic to me. But also, when I am honest about my emotions, I have some strangely fond memories of the time I spent at Steve’s side as he battled cancer.

That probably sounds horrible, so I’ll try to explain.

As awful and mind-numbing as that period was, I don’t think I’ve ever felt more connected to my family or more focused on what’s really important in life. And in retrospect, that’s something important that cancer taught me. I wish to God that I had learned that lesson in a different way. But maybe that was another of Steve’s gifts to us, among a wealth of wonderful things he brought to our lives.

Steve was just 53 when he was diagnosed. He was one of the fittest, healthiest people I’ve ever known. He went to the gym regularly. He ran Philadelphia’s Broad Street Run – a 10-miler – just four weeks before his diagnosis.

I will never forget the day we heard the prognosis from the oncologist. Steve’s cancer was stage 4; it had spread to his liver. He may have less than a year to live.

I’m not sure how we navigated from the doctor’s office downstairs to our car in the parking garage. But I do remember realization washing over me. I literally doubled over at the waist, finding it impossible to breathe. I was angry. I paced in fury. And then we got in the car for the ride home and started planning.

We talked about how we were going to tell our two girls, then ages 19 and 15. Steve talked about financial planning to provide for the girls and me after he was gone. But mostly, he talked about how he wanted to live his life in the time he had left. To the outside world, it wasn’t dramatically different.

He wanted to work at his newspaper job for as long as he could. We wanted to take a relaxing family vacation, but nothing too extravagant. We wanted our girls to carry on with their busy teenage lives. And we wanted to savor the small things at home – our porch swing, the deer that sometimes wandered into our yard, watching a game together on the couch.

Steve started treatment – an aggressive chemotherapy clinical trial at Johns Hopkins. It was a 2½-hour drive from our house, and the day was long. First lab work, then waiting for the lab results, then an appointment with the oncologist or nurse-practitioner. Then waiting for the pharmacy to prepare his meds. And then, about five hours of chemo infusion.

On chemo days, the alarm clock went off at 4:45 a.m., on the road by 5:10. It was usually 12 hours before we arrived back home. That was once a week.

Those days were exhausting, but that’s not what I remember.

I remember packing a cooler with a variety of foods because I didn’t know what might appeal to Steve’s chemo-compromised stomach. I think I actually enjoyed the challenge of coming up with new enticing snacks for him.

I remember getting behind the steering wheel, watching Steve catch a bit more sleep in the passenger seat, and putting every other concern out of my mind. It felt good to do nothing but take care of him.

I remember rubbing Steve’s leg or massaging his neck as we waited for scan results or as the infusion nurses tried to find a good vein. I remember fetching him warm blankets and running to the cafeteria to see what kind of soup they had.

I definitely will never forget the kindness, compassion, and good humor of the nurses and the entire patient care team. They were absolutely wonderful, and I miss them too.

On the ride home, relieved to have the day behind us, we cranked up Steve’s playlist for a time, before he tucked a pillow under his head and caught a nap. It was quiet. I was with my husband for the whole entire day, and I was thankful for that.

So yes, here I am all those months later and I miss crawling out of bed before sunrise and driving to Baltimore with Steve. I miss walking into our house exhausted on chemo days and curling up on the couch together. I miss the people at the hospital, who know better than anyone how awesome and strong and appreciative Steve was as prescribed toxins flowed through his body.

That’s what cancer taught me – to focus on the people I love and enjoy them. Enjoy just being with them. To cherish life’s nice and simple moments. To put all of the other demands and stresses of life in their proper, lesser places. And to know that even when you’ve lost someone incredible in your life, you have been blessed with a love that will be part of you forever.

If you’re teed off about pancreatic cancer (or if you just enjoy a nice round of golf with good people), mark your calendar for Oct. 14, 2016, for Kelly’s Heroes 2^nd Annual Teed Off! Golf Outing at Mercer Oaks in West Windsor, N.J.

Last year’s event attracted 62 golfers and dozens of wonderful sponsors, raising nearly $6,000 for pancreatic cancer research. Visit our Photo Album page (http://www.kellysheroes.ngo/photos/) to check it out.

Watch this site for details, and join the Kelly’s Heroes mailing list to have updates delivered directly to your inbox. Email us at 1kellysheroes@gmail.com.

More than 125 people partied for a purpose March 19 at Kelly’s Heroes’ first St. Patrick’s Party at the American Legion in East Windsor, N.J.

The night paid homage to Steve Kelly’s love of two March traditions – St. Patrick’s Day and March Madness. With a DJ, Irish dancers, a silent auction and NCAA basketball playing on the wide screen, the event raised money for pancreatic cancer research and scholarships for two graduating seniors from Hightstown High School and Notre Dame High School who intend to pursue a healthcare career.

“Steve always appreciated his oncology nurses so much, and I think he would approve of helping an aspiring nurse or doctor or therapist get their start,” said Kerry McKean Kelly, wife of Steve Kelly, whose cancer experience inspired the creation of the 501(c)(3).

Steve, diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in June 2013, participated in two clinical trials and was committed to cancer research. He died in April 2015, inspiring the organization that now celebrates his life by raising funds – and awareness – for pancreatic cancer research.

“Pancreatic cancer will surpass breast cancer this year as the third leading cause of cancer death,” said Kerry Kelly. “About 75 percent will die within a year of their diagnosis. Steve lived for 22 months with stage 4 pancreatic cancer and that was considered a success. Well if that’s success, then we need to redefine success against this disease.”

Kelly’s Heroes was joined by N.J. Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo, who recalled his friendship with Steve and his memories of sitting alongside him at the soccer fields, watching their daughters compete. He thanked the crowd for their support for cancer research.

Entertainment was provided by dancers from the Denogla-Ardmore School of Irish Dance, performing their slip jigs and treble reels and winning rave reviews from the crowd. The event also featured a silent auction, including a pair of tickets to Hamilton, the hottest show on Broadway. After some fierce bidding, the winner was Kelly’s Heroes Board member Bill Habib, with a $700 winning bid.

Feb. 28 — A week at a South Carolina golf condo, autographed sports items, a Kate Spade purse for spring and more are among the silent auction items up for bid at the Kelly’s Heroes St. Patrick’s Day Party March 19 in East Windsor, N.J.

Tickets are $30 in advance or $35 at the door. Purchase them online at www.kellysheroes.ngo/join-us or by check, payable to Kelly’s Heroes at 8 Letchworth Avenue, Yardley, PA 19067.

It’s a party with a purpose, with all proceeds supporting pancreatic cancer research and funded scholarships at Hightstown High School and Notre Dame High School.

The fun runs from 7 to 11 p.m. at the East Windsor American Legion Hall, Route 130 North. Enjoy corned beef and cabbage and other Irish fare, a cash bar, DJ and dancing. And bring your checkbook for the silent auction, featuring the following items and more:

1. A week at a golf condo in Little River, S.C., on the 5^th hole of Heather Glen Golf Course. This 2 bed, 2-bath condo is close to Myrtle Beach and just three miles from the beach. See photos and more information on our Facebook photo album, https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.801488683288500.1073741831.729556240481745&type=3
2. A Spartan basketball autographed by future Hall of Fame coach Tom Izzo. Get it now before the value skyrockets in March Madness!
3. Fresh off a championship season, an autographed baseball from the Mets’ David Wright
4. An authentic New Jersey Devils sweater signed by team Captain Andy Greene
5. A lovely robins-egg blue Kate Spade handbag perfect for spring
6. A massive UFC gift basket stuffed with clothing, accessories, autographed photos and more. Get in on the nation’s fastest growing sport.
7. A Phillies basket with game tickets
8. A Fun in the Sun basket with everything you need to mix up a refreshing batch of magaritas.
9. A Craft Beer basket complete with those coveted Kelly’s Heroes coasters and can coolers.
10. A Candle for All Seasons basket featuring high-quality candles from Party Lite.

For party updates, check us out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/1kellysheroes.

Feb. 2, 2016 – Party with a purpose! Join Kelly’s Heroes March 19 from 7 to 11 p.m. at the American Legion, 895 U.S. 130, East Windsor, N.J. 08520, for its first St. Patrick’s Day Party.
Wear some green, don your kilt and enjoy an Irish buffet, cash bar, DJ and dancing, a silent auction and more.
Kelly’s Heroes is an all-volunteer 501(c)3. Proceeds from our St. Patrick’s Day party will support pancreatic cancer research and fund local scholarships for a graduating senior at Notre Dame High School and Hightstown High School.
Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door. To purchase advance tickets, go to our Join Us page and purchase them using the Donate button. Please put “St. Patrick’s Day” in the PayPal comment box.