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When Novartis approached Pro Bowl tight end Delanie Walker about their new campaign to raise awareness about prostate cancer and testing, they had no idea the issue affected them.
Novartis’ new “Relax your tight end” campaign has asked star tight ends past and present, including Walker, Rob Gronkowski, George Kittle, Tony Gonzalez, Vernon Davis, Colby Parkinson and Greg Olsen, not to be afraid to get a blood test for early detection.
Walker’s father-in-law had died from the disease, so when Novartis reached out, it was a “no-brainer.”
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Delanie Walker (82) and Jack Conklin (78) of the Tennessee Titans celebrate Walker’s second-half touchdown against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on September 18, 2016 in Detroit, Michigan. (Dave Reginek/Getty Images)
“This is personal, it touched me. Now I can raise awareness and hopefully save lives to catch it early. I’m all for it,” the former Tennessee Titans Pro Bowler told Pak Gazette Digital in a recent interview.
Walker, like many other young people, was “sceptical.”
“It’s the straight one,” he admitted.
Delanie Walker of the Tennessee Titans runs after a reception against the Cincinnati Bengals during the game at Paul Brown Stadium on September 21, 2014 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
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“But the ‘Relax, it’s just a blood test’ campaign puts your mind at ease,” he continued. And that’s where tight ends come in: You can relax your tight end, because it’s just a blood test. “I think it’s a lot easier for people like me in the 40-plus range to have these conversations, talk about it, go and get tested, because I know it’s just a blood test.”
Walker knows the importance of engaging with everyday people, another key reason he wants to help Novartis spread the word.
Tennessee Titans tight end Delanie Walker runs the ball against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. (Derik Hamilton/USA TODAY Sports)
“That’s the ultimate goal. If we’re here talking about it, we hope people can say, ‘I did the same thing that Delanie Walker did, I did the same thing that George did, the same thing that Vernon did or Greg Olsen did.’ That’s why we’re a part of this, because we want to show that we’re human too, we’re a part of this, we have to be vetted and go through the same process that everyone else goes through to feel relatable.”
Novartis will host events in the Bay Area during Super Bowl week for blood testing, and fans can offer premium giveaways including souvenirs and tickets.
