Ex-Steeler DeAngelo Williams Sponsors 500 Mammograms to Honor Late Mother

Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Former Steelers running back DeAngelo Williams is committed to fighting breast cancer in honor of his mother, Sandra Hill, who died from the disease in 2014.

Williams started covering the costs of mammogram screenings for women in 2015 through the DeAngelo Williams Foundation. He began the free screening program, "53 Strong for Sandra," as a tribute to his mother after she died at the age of 53. The former NFL player also lost four aunts to breast cancer.

Since 2015, Williams's foundation has paid for over 500 mammograms in Pittsburgh, Memphis, Charlotte and Jonesboro, Ark. 

"To be able to help all these women is amazing. This can be life-changing for these women," Williams told TODAY in a statement. "We are enabling them to get this care that no one should ever be denied or not have access to."

Williams was also part of the initiative in 2009 to encourage the NFL to let players wear pink cleats in October for Breast Cancer Awareness month.

He played in the NFL for 11 years, including nine seasons with the Panthers who selected him in the first round of the 2006 draft. Williams spent the final two seasons of his professional career with the Steelers. He tallied 8,096 rushing yards and 61 touchdowns in his career.