Jim Kelly celebrated his 31st Celebrity Golf Tournament on Monday with former teammates Bruce Smith, Thurman Thomas, Steve Tasker and Cornelius Bennett, among others, along with celebrating continued good news.
The Hall of Famer reports he still feels good after twice battling cancer.
“I fly to New York City every three months still,” Kelly said via Jay Skurski of The Buffalo News. “I’ll do that for the rest of my life, so hopefully I’ll be doing it for like 20 years.
“But yeah, I feel pretty good. I mean, I’m always going to have pain. That’s part of my life. You talk to any professional athlete that’s been in my position, you’re going to have pain whether it’s in your back, neck, head, and in my case it’s in my mouth.”
Kelly, 57, began a promotional campaign “Your Cancer Game Plan” earlier this year by teaming up with several cancer organizations and pharmaceutical giant Merck.
His story has become inspirational for others in the same fight.
“I travel now, thank God,” Kelly said. “I speak more than I ever have by far, but when you go places, you see people that have the same cancer you have had. You see other people struggling and realize you don’t have it that bad. I’m blessed that I’m able to go out and hopefully make a difference for others. I do understand that some people have that attitude that they’re done, no more, but if I can change their mind and give their family a little more hope, than that’s what I’m going to do.”