PLEASANTON, Calif. — October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Service Champions, a home services company specializing in heating, air conditioning, electrical, water, and insulation in Northern California, has announced it will contribute $5 of every HVAC tune-up performed in October to the American Cancer Society. The company aims not only to raise awareness of this disease, but to give back to a community that's been affected so much by it.

In addition, Service Champions also sponsored the Bay Area's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk, which took place on October 16 in San Francisco. The walk featured entertainment, photo-ops, and sponsor booths, as well as a Wall of Hope honoring survivors, lost loved ones, and those currently fighting.

"We are proud to contribute to an important cause and help the community step up in the fight against breast cancer," said a spokesperson for Service Champions. "Our involvement raises our spirit above providing professional a/c and furnace services that ensure the comfort, safety, and well-being of our customers in the Bay Area and beyond."

According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 290,560 new breast cancer cases will be diagnosed in 2022. Between 2015 and 2019, the death rate for breast cancer in women was 19.9 per 100,000 (down from nearly 35 per 100,000 in the late 1940s). The American Cancer Society continues its fundraising efforts through the Making Strides movement, with a goal this year of raising $150,000 to support research and other programs aimed at improving prevention, treatment, and survival.

Service Champions recommends annual HVAC tune-ups. Pre-season maintenance includes cleaning out the a/c system, making minor repairs, and helping avoid unexpected breakdowns. It can improve indoor air quality and also prolong the life of an air conditioner or heater.