Eli Lilly Turned the WNBA All-Star Weekend into a Breast Cancer Showdown

When basketball fever swept Indiana during the WNBA All-Star weekend, the energy wasn’t just about high scores and celebrity matchups—it was also about something far more urgent: breast cancer awareness. In the heart of Indianapolis, Eli Lilly transformed its home turf into a powerful platform for public health, bringing together sport, community, and lifesaving education.

At the center of Lilly’s effort was its bold “99” campaign. The name refers to the 99% five-year survival rate when breast cancer is detected early and remains localized—a statistic that speaks volumes about the importance of timely screening. This message had already made waves earlier in the year at the NCAA Women’s Final Four in Tampa, where college players wore #99 jerseys and fans were offered free mammograms. But this time, the campaign returned to Lilly’s hometown, and the impact felt personal.

During the All-Star festivities at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, where the Indiana Fever call home, Lilly’s presence wasn’t just symbolic—it was hands-on. Partnering with Black Health Matters, the company brought mobile mammography vans to the streets of Indianapolis, offering free breast cancer screenings to the public. Inside the stadium, the red cursive 'Lilly' patch stitched onto Fever jerseys did more than advertise—it represented a growing commitment to health equity and community outreach.

Lilly’s chief corporate brand officer, Lina Polimeni, captured the spirit of the campaign perfectly. When fans are immersed in sports, watching their favorite teams and heroes, their hearts and minds are open. That emotional connection creates a rare opportunity to deliver messages that matter—and mammogram awareness is one of them. She emphasized that regular screening is still one of the most effective ways to detect breast cancer early, when treatment is most successful.

The campaign also featured some familiar voices and faces. Sports broadcasters like Hannah Storm and Andraya Carter, alongside rising basketball star JuJu Watkins, shared personal stories and promoted the campaign on social media and during the event. Their stories gave the statistics a human face—reminding fans that breast cancer affects not just numbers, but people, families, teammates, and friends.

A particularly moving element was the airing of Lilly’s 60-second short film, “Hands.” Originally debuted during the Grammys, the spot shows how a moment of self-examination can uncover a potential cancer diagnosis, turning everyday routines into critical turning points. The film ends with a powerful reminder: the ability to detect cancer early is literally in your hands.

And the numbers from earlier activations speak for themselves. When Lilly launched the 99 campaign during March Madness, 61 women received mammograms on site. Nine were referred for further screenings. One lump was detected. That’s not a metric—it’s a life potentially saved.

Lilly’s involvement in the WNBA All-Star weekend went far beyond corporate sponsorship. It was a full-court press for prevention, using the spotlight of women’s sports to shine light on one of the most pressing health issues facing women today.

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