Jim Kelly to attend his football camp in midst of cancer recovery
Former Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly will attend his football camp that begins Wednesday despite being in the midst of recovery from cancer treatment, Kelly told Rochester radio station 95.1 FM, via Buffalo's WGRZ.com.
Kelly said he was nervous he wouldn't be able to come to his camp, which runs through Sunday, due to the effects of radiation and chemotherapy treatment he underwent this spring. But he's now feeling well enough to make it, and will also attend his one-day clinic in Pittsford, N.Y. next week.
The Hall of Famer said he's lost 51 pounds since he came down with jaw and sinus cancer this spring for the second time, according to the Bills' team website.
"It’s not only the physical toughness but the mental toughness," Kelly said on how he's navigated these tough past few months. "I didn't want to make this a big deal because so many other people are going through the same thing but I've had so many people reach out and say, 'If Jim Kelly can get through this, so can I.'"
Knowing how much his family and friends have supported him through his fight, Kelly said he made a practice of giving his balloons and flowers to others on his hospital floor to make sure they know they're supported too.
Kelly has slowly returned to public life since being released from the hospital in June, including making a surprise visit to a Bills practice on June 19.
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—Ben Estes
