The Ostrander community came together Thursday night to support one of its best at Buckeye Valley West Elementary School’s baseball field.
Kelly Osborne was presented a pink jersey that said “Kelly’s Krew — Charged up and ready for a cure.”
Osborne is battling stage 4 cancer.
As Osborne approached the crowd of more than 150, she asked, “What’s going on?” To which the organizer of the event, Wendy Manning, said, “We think you’re so special.”
The Mustang Little League players were also wearing pink ribbons on their uniform sleeves in support of Osborne.
Osborne, a 44-year-old mother of two, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011. She had both breasts removed and was doing well until she was told the cancer had returned, affecting her bones and liver. “She is a super-healthy eater and one of the people who has done everything right to stay healthy,” Manning said.
Osborne started a summer organization for kids called “Hump Day Helpers” to give back to the community. As for the name of the group, Hump Day Helpers, “the kids picked the name,” Osborne said. “There’s been a hundred people involved in Hump Day Helpers.”
The group meets every Wednesday through the summer, going to people’s homes and working on landscaping, painting or food drives for the needy. “The group participated in a food drive last summer, collecting 1,200 pounds of food and giving it to Buckeye Valley Food Pantry or People In Need,” Osborne said.
Manning said Osborne will not give up or slow down with her activities. “She plans to continue with Hump Day Helpers this summer despite what is going on,” she said. “She likes to be active and exercise, and she has energy plus.”
Osborne’s children are Breydon, a seventh-grader, and Raine, a fifth-grader, both at Buckeye Valley Middle School.
When the Osborne family found out about the cancer, “We were angry for a couple of days and then we got this peace,” Osborne said.
Her husband, Brian Osborne, said: “I don’t think I can verbalize (the feeling). It’s hard to imagine.”
Both Brian and Breydon shaved their heads in support of Kelly.
Osborne also is a substitute teacher at Buckeye Valley Middle School. “She can sub at any of the schools but she likes the age group,” Manning said.
“I respect them and they respect me,” Osborne said.
“The news of her cancer hit the kids and parents hard,” Manning said.
Osborne is active and fit, but chemotherapy could lead to her bones becoming brittle and breaking. “Treatment is radiation, no chemo right now,” Manning said.
Manning said that Osborne is a person of strong faith.
Osborne is a member of the Delaware Christian Church. She once had more than 200 people lay hands on her. “I feel that I will be healed and that was the beginning of that,” Osborne said.
