Jim Kelly is cancer-free

Every now and again it is important to take into consideration that there are bigger aspects of life than sports. Former Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly knows that to be very true. Kelly was known for bringing his Bills to the Super Bowl in four consecutive years (1990-1993), but his accolades on the field only mask the incredible human being he is off the gridiron.

In 2005, Kelly suffered the biggest loss of his life, when his son Hunter passed away, following a battle with Krabbe disease. Also known as globoid-cell leukodystrophy, Krabbe disease is degenerative disorder that affects the nervous system, specifically the myelin sheath. In honor of their son, Jim and his wife Jill founded Hunter’s Hope, in order to raise awareness for the disease.

More recently, Jim Kelly faced a battle of his own; cancer. In June 2013, Kelly discovered that he had a form of jaw cancer, known as squamous cell carcinoma. After having surgery, Kelly released a statement declaring that his cancer was gone. Unfortunately in March 2014, it came back.

September 4, 2014 is the day that Kelly and football fans alike have been waiting for though. Jim Kelly is officially in remission, after completing chemotherapy and radiation treatments. According to NFL.com, he underwent a series of biopsies in New York which showed no signs of cancer.

“This is some of the greatest news I’ve ever gotten,” Kelly said in the press release. “It’s been a long road, and I’m still not back to 100 percent, but I have a lot to be thankful for.”

Congratulations to Jim Kelly and his family on the wonderful news. They are all truly heroes.