PINK. That’s the colour of the day at the SCG in honour of the late Jane McGrath, who passed away from breast cancer.
From the tie of Michael Clarke to the beards of home fans and turbans of the travelling Swami Army, the famous old ground is awash with pink.
It’s the McGrath Foundation’s 10th anniversary and the seventh year the New Year’s Test in Sydney has been named the Pink Test. Day three sees the stadium and fans decked out in pink for Jane McGrath Day.
The morning began with Glenn McGrath, co-founder and president of the foundation, presented with baggy pink caps from the Australian team, then a high tea was held to raise funds for the foundation.
McGrath, his wife Sara and daughter Holly attended, along with the wives and girlfriends of Australia’s Test players.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s wife Margie was also there.
The McGrath Foundation received a massive boost earlier in the day with the NSW State Government pledging $2.5 million to the charity, which focuses on placing McGrath Breast Care nurses in communities around Australia.
The money will help the charity with its ongoing activities and with increasing its number of nurses by nine.
The charity currently funds 101 positions.
It says it has helped support more than 30,000 families affected by breast cancer.
Foundation chief executive Petra Buchanan says the charity is getting closer to achieving its ultimate goal of providing every Australian breast cancer patient with access to a specialised nurse.
A “needs assessment” study undertaken in 2010 found about 150 breast care nurses were needed to ensure every family experiencing breast cancer in Australia would have the support of a specialised nurse.
“For us it’s really about making sure that everyone diagnosed with breast cancer has the opportunity to have a breast care nurse involved with their treatment,” she told AAP.
“There is still a long way to go in achieving that.” The charity relies on donations to pay for specialist nurses, which each cost about $370,000 to fund for three years.
Source: Daily Telegraph