As Jennifer Avant Eubanks watched her role model receive the Komen’s Survivor of the Year award, she would have never imagined that being the last time seeing her soldier march.

The annual Susan G. Komen Race For the Cure held Saturday at Forsythe Park was tough for cancer survivor Jennifer Avant Eubanks, as she reminisced the time she saw her role model and soldier march her last battle.

Eubanks’ only sister, Amy, was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in 2012. After fighting for a year with a temporary recovery, Amy, passed away at 41 years old in November 2014.

“Last year Amy received Survivor of the Year…one month before she passed. She persevered through an aggressive breast cancer for three years. I still say: She did not lose a battle; she went to meet her Heavenly Father,” Eubanks said.

This year, hundreds of people cheered for the Komen’s Survivor of the Year recipient, Deborah Cole.

Breast cancer picked a battle with Cole 15 years ago at age 40. She discovered a lump in 2000, and the lump returned six years after her first surgery.

The support of her friends, family and church influenced Cole to continue her fight.

Cole does not fight alone as members of the community joined forces to support survivors and and gave more information about leading causes of breast cancer, screenings and procrastination.

“We [young women] need to be assessing ourselves with a monthly exam…and be more proactive with our health,” said Mary Cox, president of the Student Nurses Association.

According to breastcancer.org, “One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. This year, there are over 200,000 women in the U.S. diagnosed, and more than 40,000 expected to die.”

Though rare in men, an estimated 2,000 men will be diagnosed, and approximately 400 men will die.

Health experts encourage all to be vigilant about breast cancer detection. One can ask a doctor if he or she notices any changes in breasts such as a lump or skin change.