MEDINA, Ohio – It’s breast cancer awareness month, and that means pink-pink everywhere.
But, the most unlikely business is joining the fight for a cure: auto repair shops.
Mighty Auto Pro in Medina and Royal Car Care & Tire Center in Brunswick started the Brakes for Breasts fundraiser last year. And now, the campaign is sweeping the nation.
“It’s been amazing, the outpouring of support,” said Leigh Anne Best, co-creator of Brakes for Breasts. “We’re not a big chain, we’re just little mom-and-pop business owners, trying to do good thing.”
Essentially, customers get free brake pads from the shop but are charged for labor; 10 percent of those service charges will be donated to the Cleveland Clinic Breast Cancer Vaccine Research Fund.
“That’s what we envision for the breast cancer vaccine, to actually prevent [breast cancer], to wipe it out,” Best said.
Last year, there were five local businesses that participated in the fundraiser. However, this year 26 different shops from 17 states have signed up to put the Brakes on Breast Cancer.
“It’s amazing to me the outpouring of goodwill that’s presented to all of us, and I hope next year we double it,” said William Hill, owner of Mighty Auto Pro. “It’d be nice to see 100 repair shops get involved with this, so we can make this happen.”
The repair shops donated about $10,000 last year. Best said with growing support from the community, she’d like to collect $30,000 for the breast cancer vaccine research – and eventually get a cure to men and women everywhere.
“I am overwhelmed,” she said. “It’s an amazing outpouring to watch all the things that have happened and just to see so many people get on board for a great cause. It’s just shocking and amazing, the people that have jumped through hoops to be a part of this.”
For more information about Brakes for Breasts, go to www.brakesforbreasts.org.