October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so now is the perfect time to share a conversation that is both deeply personal and incredibly practical.

This past July in Cannes, as part of The Room’s Cocktails & Canapés celebration during Cannes Lions, we had the chance to spotlight not only the leaders and ideas shaping our industry, but also the people and causes that remind us why community matters.

Mindie Kaplan, a former ad tech CEO, industry maven, and dear friend of The Room, was one of those voices. Mindie and her global movement, Million Mammogram Challenge, were part of our support and celebration in Cannes, and this conversation is part of a series of interviews we captured while there. 

Women’s health can still feel oddly taboo. Mammograms. Menopause. Taking time for appointments. Asking for another opinion. Saying out loud that something feels off.

Mindie is helping make those conversations feel less scary, less private, and much more normal. Drawing on her extensive industry network, Mindie rallied support across the advertising community, sharing the mission with clients, engaging industry partners, and working with out-of-home leaders like OUTFRONT Media to secure valuable PSA inventory. Together, these efforts helped amplify awareness and bring the message to audiences well beyond her immediate circle. 

In true Room fashion, it started with business, but quickly became something more human: an honest conversation between friends about women’s health, self-care, early detection, and the appointments too many people still put off. 

Let’s get a little more perspective from Mindie.

Beth: Mindie, one of the things I admire is how you’ve made women’s health part of your personal story without letting it define you. How have you reframed the conversation in a way that inspires people to take action?

Mindie: The more something feels like it should be a secret, the more the secret continues.

When I was first diagnosed, I thought maybe I should become more private or serious about it. Like maybe that was the “right” way to handle it. But that made the whole thing feel heavier.

Doing it alone felt worse.

So I started sharing. Not in a way that made it my whole identity, but enough to still feel like myself. And what happened was that people started sharing back. Someone would say, “I’ve been meaning to make that appointment,” or “My mom went through that,” or “I’ve been putting mine off.”

That is when I realized talking about it could actually help someone do something.

Beth: That feels so important because women are relentless about everything else. Work, family, deadlines, teams, clients. But our own health can still get pushed down the list.

Mindie: Exactly. Everything else feels more important.

The meeting. The deadline. The client. The team. The family. Women are very good at showing up for everyone else.

But if you catch something early, you are in a much better position. And women in this industry already know how to plan, organize, prepare, and solve problems. We just do not always use those skills for ourselves.

That is the reframe. This does not have to be fear-based. It can be a reminder. A loving nudge. A way to say, “You are worth making the appointment.”

Beth: You have also helped women find the words to advocate for themselves. Why does that matter?

Mindie: Because sometimes women are told to wait, even when they are concerned.

Younger women have told me, “I asked for a test, but they told me to wait.” And I always say, “Okay, then let’s talk about how to ask again.”

Advocating for yourself does not have to mean being aggressive. It can be simple and clear.

“I am concerned. I have family history. I would like to be checked. What availability do you have in the next two weeks?”

Sometimes women just need the words.

Beth: I also love that you make this feel less heavy. Not less important, but less scary.

Mindie: Because fear can keep people from acting.

A mammogram is not fun, but it is quick. It is uncomfortable, but manageable. I always say it is like a panini press for ten minutes and then you are done.

And then you have information. You have peace of mind. Or if there is something to catch, you are catching it earlier.

I also love the idea of doing it with a friend, so I started something called “Mammosas” which is like a Calendly function where you can invite a friend, so nobody has to go alone. Get the mammogram, then get the mimosa. Bring someone with you. Make it less lonely.

Everyone in our industry knows how to rebrand something. So let’s rebrand this.

Beth: What has surprised you most as you have shared this message?

Mindie: How much it is working.

Women are making appointments. They are texting me. They are posting their mammogram dates. They are reminding each other.

That matters because awareness is nice, but action is the point.

At first, I did not want cancer to become my whole identity. I still do not. But if sharing my experience helps one more woman make the appointment, then it feels useful. It feels like giving back.

The Room Takeaway

This is where The Room has always been at its best.

Yes, we gather around business. We talk about leadership, growth, change, and what is coming next. But the real power of this community is what happens when people use their relationships to take better care of each other.

That does not only apply to women. Everyone has a role to play.

Ask your wife, partner, sister, mother, daughter, friend, or colleague if she has scheduled the appointment she keeps meaning to make. Offer to go with her. Remind her without making her feel judged. Help make the thing feel less lonely.

And do the same for yourself.

  • Make the appointment.
  • Ask the question.
  • Bring a friend.
  • Follow up.


Do not wait because you are busy. Do not wait because you are scared. Do not wait because you think it probably does not apply to you.

During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Mindie’s message through the Million Mammogram Challenge is clear: awareness matters, but action is the point.

Women’s health does not need to be whispered about. It can be talked about with honesty, humor, and care.

Taking care of yourself is not separate from leadership. It is part of it.