Jim Kelly Kicks Off Cancer Awareness Program

After his diagnosis, NFL Hall of Famer Jim Kelly became an advocate for patients with cancer.

NFL HALL OF FAMER JIM KELLY, star quarterback of the Buffalo Bills for 11 seasons and a cancer survivor, is lending his voice and experience to a new awareness campaign called Your Cancer Game Plan.

Your Cancer Game Plan is focused on helping people with cancer and their loved ones to meet their emotional, nutritional and communication needs.

The program provides support and resources, including tips directly from Kelly, its spokesman, drawn from his own experiences with cancer, football and life. The campaign is a collaboration between Merck, Savor Health, Support for People with Oral, Head and Neck Cancer and Head and Neck Cancer Alliance. In 2013, Kelly was diagnosed with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in his upper jaw. Following surgery, recurrence and then more treatment, Kelly was finally declared to have “no evidence of disease” in late 2014.

There are three main components to Your Cancer Game Plan’s program: nutrition, communication and a positive attitude. Kelly considers having a positive attitude, for both the patient and those around him or her, to be the most important component. “I live by this saying: ‘Make a difference today for someone who’s fighting for their tomorrow,’ ” Kelly says.

To learn more about Your Cancer Game Plan, visit YourCancerGamePlan.com or share on Twitter with #CancerGamePlan.