Healthcare company Grail is swinging into action with two celebrity golfers spearheading its campaign raising awareness about multi-cancer early detection.
PGA Tour Champions golfer David Duval and World Golf Hall of Famer Juli Inkster are serving as brand ambassadors for GRAIL’s Galleri test, which can screen for 50 different types of cancer through a blood sample.
The campaign is rolling out as a professional golf tournament dubbed the “Galleri Classic” — sprouted from a partnership between PGA Tour Champions and Grail — will have its debut March 20-26 in Coachella Valley.
Duval and Inkster both shared the news on Twitter that they were joining the campaign.
“I’m focused on what’s ahead, because even though I’ve done so much, I’m nowhere near done,” Duval said in a Galleri commercial he posted on his Twitter. “That’s why I decided to take Galleri’s multi-cancer early detection test.”
The campaign targets an older audience — people over the age of 50 — in order to spur them to test for cancer earlier.
“Now that I’m in my 50s, I know I need to go further to take care of my health,” Duval said in a statement. “I’m aware of all the things that can happen in life — including a cancer diagnosis — so adding the Galleri test to my standard cancer screens enabled me to be proactive.”
Healthcare marketers have long tapped into the elevated attention that celebrities or professional athletes can bring to their audiences. Grail believed Duval’s and Inkster’s personal connections to cancer would help them reach the target audience, according to Grail CEO Bob Ragusa.
“Both David and Juli have personal experience with cancer and are passionate about taking proactive care of their health,” Ragusa said. “David is also playing in the inaugural Galleri Classic PGA Tour Champions tournament later this month. By partnering with these accomplished athletes, we hope to make a meaningful difference in the lives of people at elevated risk for cancer.”
Ragusa noted he hoped the two will also reach other people – including players on the PGA Tour Champions, fans and the local community – who may benefit from the multi-cancer detection test.
The annual Galleri Classic is Grail’s first major sports sponsorship.
“We see the Galleri Classic as much more than just a golf tournament,” Ragusa said. “The PGA offers an unmatched platform for reach and impact, especially when it comes to people at an elevated risk of cancer, including those aged 50 or older. We hope people feel encouraged and inspired to be proactive about their health and to speak with their doctor about the Galleri test.”
Grail is one of a handful of companies that are in the process of developing multi-cancer detection tests. However, these tests aren’t currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration, according to the American Cancer Society.
The tests are considered useful in some cases, and currently fall under what’s known as the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act, which allows multi-cancer detection tests to be used if a doctor suggests it. One 2021 clinical study published in the Annals of Oncology found that Grail’s Galleri test was able to identify different cancer signals with “high specificity.”
Grail noted that its test should only be used in addition to routine cancer screenings and in line with recommendations from a physician.
