Page 59 - South Mississippi Living - December, 2023

GIVING BACK
story by Cherie Ward photos courtesy of Carter’s Champions
Carter’s Champions is a grassroots organization that raises breast cancer awareness one pink fundraiser at a time, and its main focus is to support survivors.
“And that support is what we want Carter’s Champions
to bring,” said founder John Carter. “We want all survivors to feel beautiful and meet other people sharing their stories because a lot of the survivors don’t have a bunch of friends. It’s very tough for them, and not just during but afterward. Cancer doesn’t end whenever you don’t have it anymore. It’s an ongoing thing so we want to continue to raise as much awareness as possible.”
The nonprofit, volunteer-based charity hosts several annual events, and the main fundraiser is the Pink Dress 5k run and walk that happens each October. This year’s seventh annual pink dress event had runners and walkers of all ages hitting
the streets of Gulfport in bright pink dresses and shirts. It featured more than 800 participants and raised thousands of dollars for the Memorial Hospital Foundation. The funds will directly support patients.
“Every dollar raised goes to the Memorial Hospital Foundation to help local breast cancer patients right here in Mississippi,” said co-founder Jourdan Derouen. “The first year we had maybe 13 people and last year we had over 600.”
Carter added last year’s race netted more than $100,000. “And that’s just for a small group of friends,” Carter said. “Our board is our family, and survivors bring out their lawn chairs, line dance, and get to have fun with family. We are giving them a safe place to feel beautiful.”
Carter’s Champion
228.257.6967 • Facebook @carterschampionspink
Bacot Foundation of South Mississippi
Together We Are Making a Difference
www.bacotfoundation.org
SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living | www.smliving.net
December 2023 | 59