Rising supermodel Shaunté Monét Smith opens up about her personal life and battling stage 2 HER2 breast cancer on her latest Youtube channel, Fighting H.E.R. 2. She hopes to use her voice and the platform to spread awareness about cancer and the changes that it brings into one’s life. Ultimately, she seeks to inspire others diagnosed with the illness to move forward and continue pursuing their dreams despite the diagnosis.
Shaunté Monét Smith, better known as Shaunté Monét, is a 26-year-old American model and actress who dominates the runway. Standing at six feet tall, the model quickly gains the public eye’s attention with her impressive height and unique features.
But more than just her physical features, Shaunté Monét Smith is also very skilled in modeling. She began her training at John Casablanca’s Modeling and Acting Agency. She then trained alongside America’s Next Top Model Winner, Rio Summers. She walked the runway for LA Fashion Week and the annual Runway Show for David’s Bridal. She has modeled for several brands such as Lord and Taylor, and most recently, she was featured by Queen Carte Cosmetics on its website wearing its best seller Tre Chic mink eyelashes.
The rising model started her career only two years ago after being diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer. “After being diagnosed, my life completely changed. I had a ton of appointments every week. It seemed like it was never ending. Now, everything you do revolves around your diagnosis,” explains Shaunté Monét Smith. “At the time, I had a very demanding position. I was always on call. I had to take time off work and eventually, I went on leave.”
At this time, the young model realized that she would instead be pursuing her ultimate dream in life, which is modeling. She quickly took a leap of faith and moved to New York to chase after her life goals and aspirations. With chemotherapy and radiation out of the way, all the steps she is taking today are now geared toward her modeling.
Most recently, she started her Youtube channel “Fighting H.E.R. 2” with a vision to help younger women who may also be going through breast cancer struggles. “My goal is not only to educate and spread awareness about breast cancer. I’m here to give women, who are going through the same journey, peace of mind,” says Shaunté Monét. She points out how, throughout her journey in battling HER2 breast cancer, she never had peace of mind, and with that, she hopes to make a difference for others.
Through her Youtube platform, Shaunté Monét gets deep and personal. She aims to show what is life with cancer. She shares the expectations and changes that lie ahead. She even dives into topics about chemotherapy, hair loss, radiation, surgeries, freezing eggs, changes in sex life, mental health, and relevant information.
Shaunté Monét believes that people diagnosed with cancer find more comfort when they hear about these things from “a real person with personal experience.” Instead of reading about it on Google, there is a different and more profound connection among people who have been placed in the same situation.
To know more about Shaunté Monét and her journey, please visit her Youtube channel and follow her on her modeling IG (@shauntemonetsmith).