Jane McGrath

Infobox Person
name = Jane Louise McGrath


caption =
birth_date = birth date|1966|5|4
birth_place = Paignton, Devon, England
birth_name = Jane Louise Steele
death_date = death date and age|2008|6|22|1966|5|4
death_place = Cronulla, New South Wales, Australia
nationality = British Australian
other_names =
known_for = Cancer support campaigner
spouse = Glenn McGrath (1999-2008)
occupation =
children = 2
nationality =

Jane Louise McGrath AM (née Steele) (4 May 1966 – 22 June 2008) was a British-born Australian cancer support campaigner, and the wife of Australian cricket fast bowler Glenn McGrath.

Background

McGrath was born on 4 May 1966 to Jen and Roy Steele, a newsagent in Paignton, Devon, England. [cite news|url=http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=135239&command=displayContent&sourceNode=135077&contentPK=20928080&folderPk=79060&pNodeId=134831|title=Tributes As Jane Loses Cancer Fight|last=Tolley|first=Naomi|date=2008-06-23|work=thisissouthdevon.co.uk|accessdate=2008-06-25] She worked as a flight attendant for Virgin Atlantic Airways when she met her future husband in a Hong Kong nightclub in 1995. [cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23906472-662,00.html31|title=Jane McGrath personified courage and grace|last=Royall|first=Ian|date=2008-06-23|work=Herald Sun|accessdate=2008-06-25] They married in 1999 and had two children, James and Holly. She became an Australian citizen on Australia Day, 26 January 2002. McGrath was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) on 26 January 2008 "for service to community health through support for women with breast cancer and the establishment of the McGrath Foundation."

Cancer

McGrath first learned she had breast cancer in 1997 at the age of 31. Following a mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, she was deemed cancer-free by June 1998. Despite fears that cancer treatment may have left her sterile, she later gave birth to two children who were both breast-fed.

In 2003, McGrath was diagnosed with bone cancer but went into remission. In 2004, she appeared with her husband on Andrew Denton's "Enough Rope" on the ABC, describing her work for the foundation and her personal experiences.

In early 2006, brain cancer was detected and by May, she was undergoing radiation treatment at three-weekly intervals. The brain tumour was found and successfully removed. At the time, she lost her hair and succumbed to depression, but again went into remission and continued her work with the foundation.cite news |first=Malcolm |last=Brown |authorlink= |coauthors= Jonathan Pearlman and Jamie Pandaram
title=Finally Jane loses long fight for life|url=http://www.theage.com.au/national/finally-jane-loses-long-fight-for-life-20080622-2uzk.html?page=-1 |work=The Age |publisher= |date=2008-06-22 |accessdate=2008-06-23 ] She became severely ill in mid June 2008 and died on the morning of June 22 at the age of 42 in her Cronulla home. She is survived by her husband Glenn and children James and Holly.

McGrath Foundation

In 2002 the McGraths founded the McGrath Foundation, a charitable organisation dedicated to raising money to fund more Breast Care Nurses in rural and regional Australia and educate young women to become 'breast aware'. The foundation has so far raised over $12 million and, in the days since McGrath's death, over $200,000 has been donated. [cite news|url=http://news.smh.com.au/national/mourners-farewell-jane-mcgrath-20080625-2wbv.html|title=Mourners farewell Jane McGrath|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|accessdate=2008-06-25]

References

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Tributes

* [http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/shes-an-inspiration-to-others-says-rudd/2008/06/23/1214073125304.html Jane McGrath an inspiration, says Rudd]
* [http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/jane-mcgrath-dies/2008/06/22/1214073031088.html The Sydney Morning Herald]
* [http://www.theage.com.au/national/finally-jane-loses-long-fight-for-life-20080622-2uzk.html The Age]
* [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/06/23/sports/AS-SPT-CRI-Obit-Jane-McGrath.php International Herald Tribune]

Other nations

* [http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/sport/200806231646/20bcc22c New Zealand]
* [http://www.sabcnews.com/sport/cricket/0,2172,171949,00.html South Africa]
* [http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/south-asia/janes-death-to-be-used-as-an-inspiration-for-breast-cancer-sufferers-mcgrath_10063230.html Thailand]
* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/jun/23/australiacricketteam.cricket United Kingdom]

External links

* [http://www.mcgrathfoundation.com.au/ McGrath Foundation]