The new PGA TOUR Champions event will direct a portion of proceeds from its inaugural tournament to the American Cancer Society (Palm Desert office), Desert Cancer Foundation, Eisenhower Health, Hanson House, Pendleton Foundation and Shay’s Warriors Life After Cancer;
All ticket offerings for The Galleri Classic are now available at www.thegallericlassic.com.
RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIF. – While The Galleri® Classic is preparing to bring PGA TOUR Champions tournament golf back to the Coachella Valley for the first time in 30 years (since 1993), its mission outside the ropes is to give back to its community by aligning with desert nonprofit organizations who are suited to join tournament title sponsor GRAIL’s perpetual fight against cancer.
To this end, The Galleri Classic has identified six Coachella Valley-based charitable partners to receive a portion of proceeds raised by its inaugural tournament – American Cancer Society (Palm Desert office), Desert Cancer Foundation, Eisenhower Health, Hanson House, Pendleton Foundation and Shay’s Warriors Life After Cancer.
The Galleri® Classic, named after GRAIL’s multi-cancer early detection test, debuts March 24-26, 2023 on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at the renowned Mission Hills Country Club. The tournament will feature 78 PGA TOUR Champions professionals, including World Golf Hall of Fame members, playing 54 holes (three rounds) of stroke play for a $2.2 million purse.
“GRAIL and the PGA TOUR have a shared commitment to positively impact the lives of people and communities that we touch and will work together to increase awareness for multi-cancer early detection and to raise proceeds in support of local cancer-related causes,” said Bob Ragusa, Chief Executive Officer of GRAIL. “As the title sponsor of The Galleri® Classic, GRAIL has chosen to partner with several Coachella Valley nonprofits with a proven track record of engaging local, underserved populations in cancer education, risk reduction, and access to treatment and supportive care.”
The American Cancer Society’s Palm Desert office is one of over 5,000 branches nationwide representing the nation’s leading nonprofit organization with a mission of providing support and improving the lives of cancer patients and their families through advocacy, research, and patient support, to ensure everyone has an opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) has developed a program, in partnership with community health systems across the country, to help increase cancer screening rates in underserved areas. It engages with these health system partners to assess current screening barriers and create customized strategies to overcome these barriers. Charitable funds from The Galleri® Classic will be used to support the ACS “Get Screened California” effort and will enable a new community health system in the Coachella Valley to participate in this program and increase cancer screening rates for the valley’s underserved population.
Desert Cancer Foundation was founded in 1994 to pay for cancer treatment of residents who lack health insurance or sufficient funds to pay for their medical care. The foundation works with the generous support of local healthcare professionals, social workers, case workers, and advocates to share the availability of its program with the community. Since its inception, Desert Cancer Foundation has served more than 8,250 residents in the Coachella Valley and surrounding communities and has paid for cancer-related screenings, diagnostics, and treatments valued at nearly $100 million dollars.
Eisenhower Health is a comprehensive health care institution in Rancho Mirage that includes the 437-bed Eisenhower Hospital, the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center at Eisenhower and the Annenberg Center for Health Sciences at Eisenhower. Eisenhower is renowned for its Centers of Excellence in Orthopedics, Cardiovascular, Neuroscience and Oncology and has provided a full range of quality medical and educational services for 50 years for residents and visitors within the greater Coachella Valley. Eisenhower has twice earned ANCC Magnet Recognition® for professionalism in nursing and excellence in patient care.
Hanson House provides low- or no-cost housing and serves as a “home away from home” for the loved ones of critically ill and injured, hospitalized patients who lack financial resources. Such individuals include cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Situated next to Palm Springs’ Desert Regional Medical Center, Hanson House serves more than 1,000 family members each year, which also includes parents of newborn babies critically ill in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), military families from the Marine Base at 29 Palms and all families of First Responders.
The Pendleton Foundation was set up to assist Coachella Valley families who are dealing with all cancers, and it supports families in their decisions regarding treatment by providing financial assistance, according to its bylaws, to ease the financial impact upon their households. The inspiration for the creation of the foundation was born from the personal experiences of Karen Pendleton, who was diagnosed with Pseudomyxoma peritonei, a highly aggressive form of colon cancer, and discovered the great need for financial and emotional support while going through the process of seeking and receiving treatment.
Shay’s Warriors Life After Cancer was initially formed in the Coachella Valley to help women who have gone through breast, and other reproductive, cancers and has since expanded its mission to help all cancer survivors. Shay’s Warriors organizes ongoing educational programs, workshops, and special events with the mission of inspiring, informing, empowering, and helping heal cancer survivors and their families through health, fitness, and the mind-body connection.
“The Galleri Classic chooses to join in on the broader fight against cancer, and we set this foundation towards creating a lasting legacy of giving back to our Coachella Valley communities and serving to take care of our local citizens most in need,” said Michelle DeLancy, tournament director of The Galleri Classic. “Everyone knows someone who has been victimized by this dreaded disease and we plan to be diligent in making a difference in the desert by aligning with, and financially aiding, our charitable partners who are successfully executing their worthy causes.”
Part of The Galleri Classic’s donations will be funded through its ticket sales, which is now active online at its official website, www.thegallericlassic.com. Golf and sports fans can play a part in supporting the tournament’s off-course charitable endeavor by securing daily and weekly grounds and clubhouse tickets – including a current holiday ticket special (through Jan. 1) of $5 off the regular price of single-day grounds admission.
Those interested in volunteering or securing limited remaining playing spots in The Galleri Classic Pro-Am (March 22-23) can visit www.thegallericlassic.com to submit a digital form of inquiry to learn more. Tournament patrons ordering tickets at the event website also hold the option of making a flat donation to any of The Galleri Classic’s six charitable beneficiaries during the online checkout process.
Stay up to date with the latest information on The Galleri Classic by visiting www.thegallericlassic.com and by following the tournament on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/gallericlassic), Instagram (@GalleriClassic) and Twitter (@GalleriClassic).
