A record 2,000 guests turned out at Erie County Medical Center's 30th annual Springfest Gala on Saturday as it honored one of its patients: cancer survivor and NFL Hall of Famer, Jim Kelly. 

 He received the Distinguished Service Award for his work with Kelly for Kids Foundation and Hunter's Hope Foundation. 

Kelly was honored alongside some of the best in medicine including Dr. Thom Loree, Dr. Maureen Sullivan, and nurse Donna Oddo.

"Our caregivers give so much. They're the ones that take care of the most vunerable in our community," said ECMC President & CEO, Thomas Quatroche.

Kelly says ECMC has been crucial in his diagnosis and recovery from his latest bout with cancer.

"The two other honorees are two people that saved my life," Kelly said. "Dr. Loree the first time and then Dr. Sullivan who told me she saw something that she didn't like. You need to get a biopsy and I was diagnosed a third time and if it wasn't for her, I don't know if I would've went back."

Proceeds from the event will benefit the new ECMC Key Bank Trauma and Emergency Department which is expected to open in Spring 2020.