At Good Works Auto Repair, we are passionate about supporting our community. But sometimes, that community spirit goes beyond what we can do in or around Tempe. When there’s an even bigger cause we can focus on, especially one that affects many of our neighbors, we’re all ears!
In October 2023, and during October for several previous years, many of our Tempe auto repair shop customers joined us in supporting the Brakes For Breasts campaign. This inspiring movement has been raising funds to support Cleveland Clinic’s ongoing breast cancer vaccine research since 2011.
For more than a decade, local auto repair shops and their customers have been the driving force behind research and subsequent production of the vaccine. Now is the time to check it out and see how much progress has been made!
What is the Brakes for Breasts campaign all about?
Maybe you’ve never heard of Brakes For Breasts, or you’ve heard of it and never been involved. If that’s the case, let’s start by telling you what the campaign is all about.
Throughout the month of October each year, participating auto repair shops across the country offer free brake pads to their customers. Customers then pay labor costs for the installation of brake pads and any other parts that are needed to complete the brake service. These repair shops then donate 10% of the proceeds to the Brakes For Breasts campaign. Customers are also encouraged to make their own donation if they feel inclined to do so. ALL money raised during the campaign goes to fund breast cancer vaccine research.
The most recent counts reflect more than 100 local auto repair shops participating in the campaign, with more than $200,000 raised annually in recent years. This is a huge increase from the initial $10,000 raised in 2011 with only 5 independent repair shops participating! Although we have not yet heard the total amount raised in 2023, we want to share with you some even more exciting news.
The Cleveland Clinic announces progress with a revolutionary breast cancer vaccine
Like many things in life, vaccine research takes time, money and people. But good things are definitely worth the wait!
In December 2023, the Cleveland Clinic and Anixia Biosciences announced positive results from their Phase 1 breast cancer vaccine trial. This first phase involved giving the vaccine to 16 people diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer while measuring effectiveness and possible side effects. So far, none of the individuals in the trial have experienced negative side effects or a cancer recurrence. This is promising news!
What’s next on the agenda? According to the Brakes For Breasts campaign website, phase 1b involves additional testing of safety, dosing and side effects. Once completed, the research will move into Phases 2 and 3 with larger study groups, a broader demographic, and additional testing of efficacy, side effects, and overall safety. The hope is that within the next 5 years enough research will have been done to gain FDA approval to distribute the vaccine to the public.
Breast Brakes: Driving to a Better Future Without Breast Cancer!
What can YOU do to move breast cancer vaccine research into later stages? For starters, you can always join us every October by participating in the Brakes For Breasts campaign. You get free brake pads and we all work together to support our larger community; that’s a win for everyone!
Or, you can donate ANY time of the year to the Brakes For Breasts campaign by visiting their website and contributing online. Together, we can help raise hope for millions of women and stop breast cancer for good!
