October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time when communities across the country come together to support those affected by breast cancer and the research that could change its future. At Pellman’s Automotive in Boulder, we are proud to join other independent repair shops in using something we do every day, keeping vehicles safe, as an opportunity to support something much bigger.
Brakes for Breasts brings independent automotive repair shops together to raise money for breast cancer vaccine research. Through our connection with TechNet Professional, qualifying brake service this fall gives our customers an opportunity to help support the cause while taking care of an important part of their vehicle.
It is brake service with a purpose.
What Is Brakes for Breasts?
Brakes for Breasts is a grassroots effort that unites independent automotive repair shops in support of the Breast Cancer Vaccine Research Fund at the Cleveland Clinic.
The campaign is centered on hope. Hope for people currently fighting breast cancer, hope for families who have been affected by it, and hope that continued research can lead to better ways of preventing the disease.
Rather than focusing only on treating breast cancer after it develops, the research supported by Brakes for Breasts is focused on prevention. That mission has brought automotive professionals and their customers together around a cause that reaches far beyond the repair shop.
How Does the TechNet Brakes for Breasts Promotion Work?
The annual TechNet Professional campaign runs at participating shops from September 1 through October 31st.
When you visit a participating TechNet Professional shop for qualifying brake service, you can get $40 back or choose to give your $40 to Brakes for Breasts.
Donations made through the campaign support the Breast Cancer Vaccine Research Fund at the Cleveland Clinic.
It is a simple way to turn a brake service your vehicle may already need into an opportunity to contribute to important research.
Why Breast Cancer Prevention Research Matters
For many people, breast cancer has touched a friend, parent, spouse, sibling, coworker, or another person they love.
The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 324,000 people in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2026, with tens of thousands expected to die from the disease.
Treatment and early detection remain critically important, but the research supported by Brakes for Breasts asks another important question: What if we could prevent breast cancer before it develops?
That is what makes the campaign's focus on vaccine research so meaningful. Every contribution helps support researchers working toward a future in which prevention could become another powerful tool against breast cancer.
The Research Is Moving Forward
Support for Brakes for Breasts is helping fund research that continues to advance. According to Brakes for Breasts, Phase 2 of the Cleveland Clinic breast cancer vaccine study is expected to open in 2027, following completion of Phase 1a and Phase 1b.
The Phase 2 study is expected to evaluate the vaccine in a larger group of participants, with a focus on effectiveness, safety, and side effects. The vaccine is designed to target a protein associated with triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease.
That progress is an important reminder that donations are helping move this research from early testing toward larger clinical studies. Continued support is still needed as the research advances through Phases 2 and 3.
Every donation helps support research as it moves toward the next phase.
Brake Safety Matters on Colorado Roads, Too
Supporting Brakes for Breasts is a meaningful reason to think about your brakes this fall, but there is also a practical one.
Fall is an ideal time to make sure your vehicle is ready for the driving conditions ahead. Boulder drivers know that dry autumn roads can quickly give way to colder temperatures, snow, ice, and challenging trips into the foothills.
Your braking system depends on more than just brake pads. Rotors, calipers, brake fluid, hoses, and other components all contribute to predictable stopping performance.
Signs that it may be time to have your brakes inspected include:
- Squealing or grinding when braking
- Vibration when applying the brakes
- A soft or unusual brake pedal
- Pulling to one side while braking
- A vehicle that seems to take longer to stop
Even without an obvious symptom, an inspection can help determine how much brake material remains and whether other components require attention before winter.
Give or Get $40 Back on Qualifying Brake Service
If your vehicle needs brake service this fall, you can take care of an important maintenance need while supporting a cause that matters.
Through the TechNet Professional Brakes for Breasts campaign, customers who receive qualifying brake service at participating shops can either receive $40 back or donate the $40 to Brakes for Breasts.
The campaign runs through October 31st, giving drivers an opportunity to prepare their vehicles for colder Colorado driving while helping fund breast cancer vaccine research.
You can also support Brakes for Breasts directly without receiving brake service. Donations can be made through the campaign's Cleveland Clinic donation page or by
texting “TechNet” to 76278.
Brake Service With a Bigger Purpose
At Pellman’s Automotive, taking care of vehicles has always been about taking care of people. Reliable brakes help protect you, your passengers, and everyone sharing the road, while Brakes for Breasts allows routine automotive service to support research that could make a difference for generations to come.
This September and October, join Pellman’s Automotive, TechNet Professional, and independent repair shops across the country in helping put the brakes on breast cancer. If your brakes are making noise, your vehicle feels different when stopping, or you want them inspected before Colorado winter weather arrives,
schedule your brake service with Pellman’s Automotive in Boulder today.
