Sport in its DNA
“The idea came to me when I was racing in Spain, in my first life as a professional cyclist. At that time, I saw the emergence of the first dental clinics and thought of replicating that model in Italy, starting with diagnostic imaging and specialist consultations.” These words by Marco Fertonani, CEO & Founder of CDS-La tua casa della salute, not only describe the origins of the network, now present with 43 facilities across four Italian regions, but also anticipate the deep-rooted bond between sport and the Group, founded in Busalla 13 years ago.
Today, global scientific research is no longer focused solely on extending life expectancy, but rather on extending the number of years lived in good health, and regular physical activity emerges as the most effective intervention, capable of reducing overall mortality risk by 21% and the incidence of cardiovascular diseases by up to 35%.
For a healthcare company, promoting a connection with sport therefore represents a strong alignment of values, built on key pillars: active prevention, proper nutrition and healthy longevity. Moreover, sport is a powerful universal language that goes far beyond brand awareness. Sponsorships also translate into public relations and networking activities, events, activations and engagement with fan communities. It also offers an inexhaustible source of stories to tell. For all these reasons, CDS has made its synergy with high-level sport a long-term vision, of which the 2023–2026 period provides a clear illustration.
In 2023, the Group launched the “Medical Partnership” model in sport by signing agreements with Genoa and Sampdoria. The CDS logo appeared on training kits and, above all, players began using CDS facilities daily for their medical checks, often featured in videos that became widely shared. The message is powerful: if CDS services are chosen by elite athletes to monitor their condition and support performance, they can also be the ideal choice for anyone wishing to take care of their health.
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The Group’s growth across different regions of Italy has been supported over time by targeted sports partnerships designed to facilitate brand penetration in new territories. In 2024, CDS strengthened its presence in Liguria by becoming Gold Partner of Genoa European Capital of Sport and participating in 11 multi-sport events across the region. However, the most significant partnership that year was with the Giro d’Italia, where CDS served as Medical Partner. Around this collaboration, the Group developed a structured, multi-regional communication strategy, organising a packed programme of events and conferences, and engaging Alberto Contador and Ivan Basso — two icons of European cycling — as brand ambassadors.
2025 marked the network’s entry into Sardinia, first in Sassari and later in Cagliari. Once again, CDS chose to partner with two highly representative local sports organisations, recognised both locally and nationally, becoming Medical Partner of Dinamo Sassari Basketball and Cagliari Calcio.
Turning to the present, to support its recent expansion into the Aosta Valley, CDS has become Medical Partner of Tor-X, one of the most challenging and iconic endurance trail events in the world. For this occasion, the Group will experiment with an innovative digital storytelling format: a vlog following two CDS employees participating in one of the Tor-X races, with first-person footage from training through to the race, combined with analysis of their biological data and muscle recovery. In May 2026, the Group also co-promoted the first medical-scientific committee of a football club, Genoa, bringing together leading specialists from various fields of medicine under the umbrella “We Care Genoa”, many of whom already operate within the network’s facilities.
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Within this interplay of health and performance, prevention and storytelling, it becomes clear that the relationship between CDS and sport is not the result of a simple marketing strategy, but the natural expression of a corporate culture rooted in the founder’s personal experience and in the belief that health and movement are inseparable. From partnerships with professional football to cycling, from basketball to trail running, every project conveys the same vision: prevention is not an abstract concept, but a daily journey built on care, awareness and healthy lifestyles — with sport as its cornerstone.