Kelly O’Brien Rooney passed away on July 11, 2006 after a courageous, four-year battle with breast cancer. She was 43. She left behind five children and her husband of fifteen years, Sean.Every three minutes a woman in the United States is diagnosed with breast cancer.
Breast cancer is the leading cancer among White and African-American women and African-American women are more likely to die of the disease. The rate of breast cancer has increased from 1 in 20 in 1960 to 1 in 8 today.
Two summers ago Kelly and a group of her friends planned to participate in the Breast Cancer 3-Day Charity walk. They needed a team name so, true to Kelly’s vivacious personality, she threw out the idea – Save 2nd Base. Her team members loved it.
They drew two baseballs appropriately placed on the shirt and below it, the slogan – Save 2nd Base – eluding to the names teenagers use to signify the make out progression from kissing to more serious stuff.
By the first day of the 60 mile walk, Kelly was too ill to participate. A good friend walked in her place and the team wore the shirts with Kelly’s slogan. Along the route they received smiles, giggles and positive reactions to the euphemism. Everyone got the joke but also understood the seriousness of the cause.After Kelly’s death, her family and friends founded The Kelly Rooney Foundation to eradicate breast cancer in young women. Through cutting-edge research, comprehensive awareness campaigns, and education programs, the Foundation focuses on breast cancer prevention in young women and the unique challenges they face when diagnosed.
Her sister and a friend spent $10,000 of their own money to trademark Save 2nd Base and set up a store to sell them online. After their initial investment was paid back , they vowed to give 50% of the profits to the foundation to fund it’s campaign.
Kelly used a term, “God winks,” to describe unexpected blessings and happy coincidences in life. Little did she know that she would embody the very phrase she coined – by serving as a “God wink” to generations of women whose lives may be saved by the incredible legacy she left behind.
The Kelly Rooney Foundation raised $145,000 at its inaugural golf outing and banquet. They have their sights set high on stopping this disease that devastates the lives of not only women but the families and children left behind.
