With Breast Cancer Awareness Month upon us, many are turning their focus to their loved ones who may have been affected by the disease. One of these people is three-time Olympic medalist Carmelita Jeter, who is the fastest woman alive to run the 100 meters. Her aunt and cousins were taken by breast cancer.
“Was (breast cancer awareness) important for me before it touched home? Not really,” Jeter said. “Sometimes we don’t get involved unless we personally experience it. Because I can say I personally experienced it, it touches me.”
A sprinter and second-fastest woman ever, Jeter has gotten involved by participating in a race held by the Susan G. Komen organization in which she was the Official Stater and being a Circle of Promise Ambassador.
Jeter, 36, also supports Boarding for Breast Cancer (B4BC), which offers a free mobile app that highlights breast cancer prevention.
“I feel like this app is an essential because we hold our phones 24/7, and everything we get is through our phones,” Jeter said. “If you have an app that says, ‘Hey, have you gotten checked this month? Hey, do you want to set up an appointment?’ I think that it was an amazing idea to do an app that reminds you of something that you might just forget.”
The app allows you donate money to the B4BC organization, shop, find places, and schedule appointments to be checked for breast cancer.
“I definitely feel like this app is educational,” Jeter said. “I feel that you are able to hear and see other peoples’ stories. I feel that you can go to the prevention pages and see what you are not supposed to be doing. You can go to the preventions and you can go to the blogs and see what other people are talking about. You can go to the events and see what you can be a part of this month and what is going on.”
B4BC was inspired by Monica Steward, who began her battle with breast cancer at 26 and died two years later. Among the founders of the app are pro-snowboarders Tina Basich and Shannon Dunn, who created the foundation to honor their late friend with an event that is centered around their passions of snowboarding.
With two of the four founders being athletes, B4BC promotes physical activity, with many of their events being centered around athletics.
“I wouldn’t say that (B4BC) is geared toward to the athletic community, as much as it is more so just about being active,” Jeter said. “One thing is when you are finished with chemo and you are trying to live a regular life, but you just had the fight of your life. I’ve noticed that people are more active. They want to go to different places and do more things. I feel like this app will motivate you to want to do more.”