WORLDWIDE CONTACT US ABOUT US INVENTING FOR LIFE PRODUCTS RESEARCH LICENSING NEWSROOM CAREERS INVESTORS Home “Even the toughest person in the world goes through some low times. But you gotta create a game plan and stick to it.” — Jim Kelly, head and neck cancer survivor Your Cancer Game Plan is a new awareness campaign focused on helping people with cancer and their loved ones tackle their emotional, nutritional and communication needs, and encourages people with head and neck cancer and their loved ones to make a “game plan” to support their cancer journey. With Merck at the helm, the campaign is a collaboration between Pro Football Hall of Famer and head and neck cancer survivor Jim Kelly, Head & Neck Cancer Alliance (HNCA) and Support for People with Oral and Head and Neck Cancer (SPOHNC), leading patient organizations supporting the head and neck cancer community for nearly six decades combined, and Savor Health, a service dedicated to supporting the nutritional needs of people living with cancer. Many people living with head and neck cancer may experience different physical and emotional challenges than people with other forms of cancer. To help address these challenges, Your Cancer Game Plan provides support and resources, including Kelly’s tips on how to remain positive, and healthy recipes for those facing head and neck cancer. Tools and resources include a guide to help people living with cancer talk to family and friends to get the support they need, strategies to help them cope emotionally with issues such as anxiety and depression, recipes to help enhance nutritional health, informational videos to help people stay positive throughout their cancer journey and much more. KNOW YOUR GAME PLAN Pro Football Hall of Famer and cancer survivor Jim Kelly is teaming up with Merck and leading cancer organizations to provide those living with head and neck cancer and their families much needed support and information to address some of the unique physical, emotional and nutrition challenges associated with the disease. “I know first-hand the special challenges people living with head and neck cancer and their families face. My experience taught me so much about the importance of emotional support and taking care of myself, and I hope that by sharing my experience, I can inspire others to take action and know their game plan.” — Jim Kelly JIM’S PERSONAL EXPERIENCE BEING A HEAD AND NECK CANCER SURVIVOR The struggles Jim Kelly faced on the football field as a former quarterback for the Buffalo Bills may be widely recognized, but many people may not know about his battle with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, and what he learned along the way. “I am proud to share my personal experience as a head and neck cancer survivor, and I encourage those facing head and neck cancer and their loved ones to visit www.YourCancerGamePlan.com to find my ‘Kelly Tough’ tips. My hope is that you will find these tips – which helped me through my journey with cancer – and the other resources available through this campaign helpful.” VISIT WWW.YOURCANCERGAMEPLAN.COM What to know about head and neck cancer Head and neck cancer describes a number of different tumors that develop in or around the throat, larynx, nose, sinuses and mouth. Each year more than 60,000 new cases of head and neck cancer are diagnosed in the U.S. Many people with head and neck cancer face unique challenges as a result of surgeries and/or treatments that impact a person’s appearance, speech, smell, taste, ability to swallow and sight. The head and neck cancer organizations that have partnered with Merck on Your Cancer Game Plan, HNCA and SPOHNC, as well as Savor Health, work tirelessly to raise awareness and meet the needs of people living with head and neck cancer through their resources, support and programming. “Your Cancer Game Plan is really about three things. Number one, communication. Always let your doctors and the people around you know how you’re feeling. Number two, eat right. Make the right choices with food and exercise. Number three, and probably most important, it’s about having the right attitude. Stay positive.” — Jim Kelly Fore more information visit WWW.YOURCANCERGAMEPLAN.COM and join the conversation on Twitter Published Jan. 2017 Copyright. © 2009-2018 Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc. All rights reserved. Forward-Looking Statement Privacy Terms of Use Site Map