Kelly was born in Aurora, Colorado on September 27, 1978 to David and Michelle Feavel. The family moved to Midland, Texas in 1979 where Kelly was raised with her sister Courtney and brother Michael. Kelly attended Santa Rita Elementary School, where she developed and nurtured friendships that endure to this day. She also attended Goddard Junior High School and Robert E. Lee High school, where she was a three-year letterman in golf and led the Lee High Girls’ Golf Team to the Texas 5A championship tournament. Upon graduation from Lee High, Kelly attended Texas A&M University, graduating summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Biomedical Science Degree in 2001.
Kelly went on to attend Baylor College of Medicine, graduating in the spring of 2005. While in medical school, Dr. Ralph Feigin, past President of Baylor College of Medicine & Physician-in-Chief at Texas Children’s Hospital, became a mentor to Kelly and told her he knew pediatrics would become Kelly’s chosen specialty. Dr. Feigin could see in Kelly a special compassion and engagement with children that would become her trademark. Kelly was accepted for a Pediatric residency at Texas Children’s Hospital where, at the end of her intern year, she was selected as one of the top three residents in her class. Shortly after receiving this award Kelly was diagnosed with Stage 4 brain cancer.
After six months of treatments, Kelly returned to complete her residency and upon completion was offered the position of Chief Resident, which she declined due to her illness. Kelly elected to become a Pediatric Hospitalist for Texas Children’s Hospital and eventually an Associate Professor of Medicine for Baylor College of Medicine.
Kelly was greatly respected and loved by her fellow physicians, and devoted her practice not only to her patients, but to training residents in the art of bedside communication and compassionate caring. As a testament to Kelly’s innate leadership and teaching skills, the pediatric residents at Texas Children’s’ Hospital have dedicated the “Dr. Kelly DeScioli Learning Center”, an area Kelly sought for the residents in order that they may have personal resource and conference space.
It was on November 6, 2004 that Kelly married the love of her life, her husband Mike, at St. Ann’s Church in Midland. They were married just over one year when Kelly was diagnosed with cancer. Throughout eight years of marriage their love and devotion for each other has been a shining example for all who know them. Their many friends from all walks of life have been a bastion of support, and together with the Feavel and DeScioli families formed “TEAM KELLY” in the battle against Kelly’s cancer.