An Honor and a Milestone for Brakes for Breasts

Tracy and I were truly honored to stand inside the Cleveland Clinic this year for the Brakes for Breasts check presentation—and I have to tell you, it hit us in a way we didn’t expect. I want to start off with the website URL: brakesforbreasts.com/

What we witnessed wasn’t just a milestone. It was proof of what’s possible when an entire industry decides to care.

Fifteen years ago, shop owners Leigh Ann Best and Laura Frank had a vision. I don’t think even they could have imagined that the professional automotive repair industry would rally behind that vision, raising $2.4 million in support of life-saving vaccine research.

Let that sink in.

$2.4 million… from our industry.

That’s not just generosity—that’s impact.

And yet, I can’t help but think every single year… what if?
What if just 15% of shop owners across the country got involved?
How much faster could we move this forward?
How many more lives could we touch—or even save?

This year, we heard directly from the doctors and PhD researchers leading the charge. Not summaries. Not secondhand reports. Real people, doing real work, fighting for something that matters.

And here’s the part that stopped me:

Phase One of the vaccine trial is complete—and the results are extraordinary.

Over 50% of participants showed a positive immune response. We were told that in the world of research, that’s not just good—it’s remarkable.

They are now committed to Phase Two.

This is no longer just an idea.
This is real.
This is working.

And when you sit in that room, listening to these researchers express their deep, heartfelt gratitude to our industry—you start to feel something bigger than business. You feel purpose.

It got me thinking about something simple: zip codes.

What if there was just one professional repair shop in every zip code in America participating in the October Brakes for Breasts campaign?

Just one.

The momentum we could create… the acceleration of this research… the possibility of bringing a vaccine for Triple Negative Breast Cancer—the most aggressive form—to reality sooner… it’s not far-fetched.

It’s within reach.

So here’s my challenge—to you, to all of us:

Don’t sit this one out.

Talk about it with your team.
Share it with your peers, your coach, and your network partners.
Bring it home to your family.
Tell your customers why it matters.

Go to brakesforbreasts.com/ and take the next step.

And remember this—because it matters:

100% of the funds raised go directly to the research. Every single dollar.

If you’re planning your fall marketing, this isn’t just another promotion. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and that is the ideal time to be a Brakes For Breasts supporter.

This is your chance to stand for something bigger than your business.

Work with your suppliers. Use the tools available. Bring this initiative to life in your shop.

Because this isn’t just about brakes.
It’s about hope.
It’s about progress.
It’s about being part of something that could change lives forever.

Phase One proved this is real.

Now it’s up to us to help carry it forward.

If you’re not part of Brakes for Breasts yet… this is your moment.

Get involved.   brakesforbreasts.com/