McGrath Foundation

The McGrath Foundation is a cancer care charity in Australia. It was founded in 2005 with the aim of ensuring a Breast Care Nurse is made available for every Australian family experiencing breast cancer, regardless of location or financial situation.[1] Australian cricket player Glenn McGrath and his English-born wife, Jane McGrath, decided to establish the charity following Jane's initial diagnosis and recovery from breast cancer. Jane McGrath died on 22 June 2008 at the age of 42.[2] In 2025 the charity diversified to include care for all types of cancer.[3]

Background

Breast care nurses

A goal of the McGrath Foundation is to place specialist McGrath breast care nurses (BCN).

The first tertiary-based distance education program for breast care nurses was pioneered by La Trobe University in partnership with Cancer Council Victoria in 1997.[4]

McGrath Breast Care Nurses usually have a background in oncology, breast care or women's health and sometimes even psychology. They also require a postgraduate qualification[5] in breast care nursing or cancer nursing, which can be studied at the Australian College of Nursing[6] and La Trobe University.[7] The McGrath Foundation offers four annual scholarships through the Australian College of Nursing.[8]

An evaluation of the McGrath Foundation's first breast care nurses initiative found that patient safety was increased. Based on interviewed stakeholders, the program resulted in a reduction unnecessary hospital admissions, reduced time needed by patients from medical staff and a reduced cost on the mental health system. All surveyed women who had access to a breast care nurse felt that the nurse had enhanced their quality of life.[9]

Breast education

Another aim of the McGrath Foundation is to promote breast education among Australians. At only 31 when she was first diagnosed with breast cancer, Jane McGrath was passionate about empowering people to take control of their health by being breast aware.[10]

The McGrath Foundation's breast education programme was developed to ensure everyone in Australia is aware of the importance of breast health, are confident in detecting changes, are knowledgeable about the risk factors for breast cancer and are checking their breasts regularly.

According to the Foundation, the programme "aims to empower young women in particular to look after and know their bodies, and to take action that promotes their health and wellbeing".[11] It includes resources for schools, the workplace and the community with workbooks, presentations and videos available for free download from the McGrath Foundation website.

History

Key dates
  • September 2005: McGrath Foundation established
  • October 2005': Masterfoods' $1,000,000 kickstarter donation[12]
  • 2008: Federal government grants $12.6 million to place 44 breast care nurses
  • January 2009: First Pink test at the SCG
  • February 2010: First Pink Stumps Day (650 clubs registered)
  • 2013: Federal government grants another $18.5 million to continue funding
  • 2025: Over 300 McGrath cancer care nurses placed[13]

The McGrath Foundation was created after Jane McGrath was diagnosed with breast cancer, and the mission of the foundation was based on her experiences with her nurses at that time.

Since 2005, the McGrath Foundation has placed 302 McGrath Cancer Cancer Nurses in communities across Australia, and has supported over 161,000 families.[14][15]

The majority of all McGrath Breast Care Nurses are in rural and regional areas.[16] People experiencing breast cancer can directly contact their nearest McGrath Breast Care Nurse, whose support is then provided completely free of charge. The McGrath Foundation needs to raise approximately $420,000 to place each McGrath Breast Care Nurse in the community for a three-year period.[17]

In 2008, the Australian Government pledged $12.6 million to the McGrath Foundation to fund McGrath Breast Care Nurses in 44 communities through to June 2013.[18] This commitment was furthered in 2013 with the announcement of a $18.5 million grant to continue funding 44 existing McGrath Breast Care Nurses in communities nationally as well as the placement of up to an additional 10 full-time equivalent McGrath Breast Care Nurse positions.[19] This was extended for a further four years, in November 2016, confirming the positions of 57 Government-funded McGrath Breast Care Nurses until 2021.

Due to a live baiting scandal, in 2015 the McGrath Foundation suspended its relationship with Greyhound Racing Victoria. It had previously received $400,000 through the ‘‘go the pink dog’’ campaign.[20]

Jane McGrath's daughter Holly, who was six when her mother died, works as a clinical trial administrative officer at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Victoria.[21]

In 2019, the second day of the Lord's Test in England benefitted the Ruth Strauss Foundation in much the same way that the third day of the Sydney Test benefits the McGrath Foundation. English cricketer Andrew Strauss, who played in a Pink Test while captaining England's successful 2010-11 Ashes campaign, was widowed when his wife Ruth died from a rare form of lung cancer in 2018. Strauss had been in regular discussion with Glenn McGrath about the day.[22]

Pink Test and other initiatives

Annually, since 2009, the Test Cricket match at the Sydney Cricket Ground has been called the McGrath Foundation’s Pink Test. It includes Jane McGrath Day where many fans wear pink leading to a "sea of pink". At this event in 2024, Glenn McGrath encouraged donations to the foundation to increase the number of in-home breast cancer nurses.[23]

Other initiatives include localised fundraisers called Pink Stumps Day[24] and the high tea. The high tea is held annually on the day three of the Pink Test. Over its two decade history, guests to the high tea regularly include Australian Prime Ministers and other political leaders.[25]

Support

Several people, including cricketers and their partners, and organisations have supported the McGrath Foundation.

Tracy Bevan was Jane McGrath's best friend and is the Foundation Ambassador.[21] Adam Gilchrist, former cricketer and Member of the Order of Australia is a vocal supporter of the McGrath Foundation.[26] Cricketer Michael Clarke[27] and his wife Kyly[28] are ambassadors. In 2015 Australian female cricket and soccer player Ellyse Perry supported the McGrath Foundation's Pull on Your Socks initiative.[29] At the Pink Test in 2019, Indian captain Virat Kohli included pink on his gloves, bat and pads in support of the McGrath Foundation.[30] On England's 2010-11 Ashes tour of Australia, the Barmy Army raised more than £23,000 for the McGrath Foundation.[31] An annual pink concert is held in Tamworth, in 2023 it raised nearly $17,000.[32] Community First Credit Union offers a credit card that partially donates its annual fee to the McGrath Foundation.[33]

References

  1. ^ Mahony, Jane; Masters, Holly; Townsend, James; Hagerty, Fionnuala; Fodero, Lisa; Scuteri, Joe; Doromal, Darren (1 January 2019). "The Impact of Breast Care Nurses: An Evaluation of the McGrath Foundation's Breast Care Nurse Initiative". Asia-Pacific Journal of Oncology Nursing. 6 (1): 28–34. doi:10.4103/apjon.apjon_61_18. ISSN 2347-5625. PMID 30599013.
  2. ^ Brown, Alex (22 June 2008). "Jane McGrath dies". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney. Archived from the original on 28 March 2015. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
  3. ^ Long, Danielle (3 February 2025). "The McGrath Foundation's Pink Test faces a new innings". The Australian. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  4. ^ "Cancer Council Victoria". www.cancervic.org.au. Archived from the original on 16 May 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  5. ^ "Become a McGrath Breast Care Nurse". www.mcgrathfoundation.com.au. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  6. ^ "Graduate Certificates".
  7. ^ "Schools and Departments".
  8. ^ "McGrath Foundation > Our Nurses > Training for Nurses". Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  9. ^ Paynter, Helen (November 2013). "Evaluation of the McGrath Foundation's Breast Cancer Nurses Initiative". The Australian Journal of Cancer Nursing. 14 (2) – via The Wikipedia Library.
  10. ^ McGrath, Jane and Glenn. A Love For Life, Sydney, 2000.
  11. ^ "Launch of World Leading Lurve Curve Program". McGrath Foundation. 1 August 2013. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  12. ^ "My cancer battle while pregnant". Australian Women's Weekly. 85 (10). October 2015 – via The Wikipedia Library.
  13. ^ Dragon, Natalie (13 August 2025). "Celebrating over 300 McGrath Foundation cancer nurses this Cancer Nurses Day - ANMJ". Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  14. ^ "McGrath Foundation's big new move on 20th anniversary". McGrath Foundation. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  15. ^ "'Still a long way to go': Glenn McGrath on 20 years of the Foundation changing lives". SBS NEWS. 18 September 2025. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  16. ^ Hutchens, Gareth (3 November 2016). "McGrath Foundation breast care nurses to get $20.5m in new funding". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  17. ^ "Sydney Test to go even pinker". Sydney: Cricket Australia. 10 November 2009. Archived from the original on 12 April 2011. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  18. ^ "McGrath Specialist Breast Care Nurses". Australian Government Department of Health Rural and Regional Health Australia. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  19. ^ "The McGrath Foundation welcomes Federal Government commitment to continue to fund McGrath Breast Care Nurses" (Press release). McGrath Foundation. 7 January 2013. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
  20. ^ Newman, Beth (19 February 2015). "Sponsors baulk at treatment of dogs - Live bait scandal Major sponsor pulls out". The Age. p. 4.
  21. ^ a b "HOW HOLLY McGRATH IS HONOURING JANE'S LEGACY". Woman's Day (Australia Edition) (2602): 14–15. 19 January 2026.
  22. ^ "Lord's to turn red during Ashes Test in support of Ruth Strauss Foundation". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 14 April 2025. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  23. ^ "SCG Test looks in the pink as rivals eye slot". The Age. 6 January 2024. p. 46.
  24. ^ "Broomehill sporting teams raise $2k for McGrath Foundation". The Great Southern Herald. 10 February 2026. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  25. ^ Buckley, John (6 January 2026). "The politicians, leaders who fronted for McGrath high tea – and the notable absentees". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  26. ^ "Gilchrist honoured for more than cricket". The West Australian. 13 June 2010. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  27. ^ "Michael Clarke: "The Word Legend And I Certainly Don't Go Hand-In-Hand"". GQ. 14 November 2018. Archived from the original on 30 September 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  28. ^ Smith, Rohan (3 October 2014). "BP petrol station at Rozelle turned pink for McGrath Foundation". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 15 March 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  29. ^ Theodosiou, Peter (30 April 2015). "Wahroonga's Ellyse Perry made ambassador for McGrath Foundation's Pull On Your Socks initiative". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 15 March 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  30. ^ "When Virat Kohli went 'Pink' for the Sydney Test". SBS Language. 4 January 2019. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  31. ^ Scyld Berry (30 November 2013). "Barmy Army have become a force for good". Daily Telegraph (London): 22, 23–22, 23.
  32. ^ "Pink concert crucial in boosting cancer care". The Northern Daily Leader. 20 January 2023.
  33. ^ "Best-Value Standard Credit Cards". Money (Australia Edition) (262): 112–112. December 2022.
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