Casey, Sean, Jack, Kelly, Quinn, Haley, and Molly Rooney
The Women's Board of the American Cancer Society honors Kelly Rooney with the 2006 Courage and Inspiration Award. See the video
About Kelly Rooney
“God winks...”
Kelly used a term, “God winks,” to describe unexpected blessings and happy coincidences in life. Little did Kelly 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.
Kelly O’Brien Rooney passed away on July 11, 2006 after a courageous, four-year battle with breast cancer. She was 43. Kelly and her husband, Sean, created an amazing and dynamic family during their 15 year marriage, becoming parents to Casey, Molly, Haley, Quinn and Jack.
Even during the most critical days of her intimate and personal battle with breast cancer, Kelly’s number one priority was not herself – but her children. Kelly was relentless in her pursuit of understanding how she could prevent her four daughters, Casey, Molly, Haley and Quinn, from ever facing the dreadful disease. The Kelly Rooney Foundation was formed to continue Kelly’s pursuit and to realize the dream of a generation of women fully empowered with the knowledge and ability to prevent breast cancer.
Known for her outpouring of love as a mother and wife; her loyalty as a daughter, niece, cousin, sister or aunt; and her hospitality as a neighbor or friend, Kelly Rooney served an incredible role model for living life with charisma, joy, optimism, positive energy, generosity, humor, grace and most importantly, persistence and determination
