- McGrath Foundation
-
The McGrath Foundation is a breast cancer support and education charity in Australia, funding McGrath Breast Care Nurses in communities across Australia as well as educating young women to be breast-aware. The charity was originally founded by Australian cricket player, Glenn McGrath, and his English wife, Jane McGrath, in 2002, following Jane’s initial diagnosis and recovery from breast cancer.[1] Jane died on 22 June 2008 at the age of 42.[2]
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McGrath Breast Care Nurses
The formal training of dedicated breast care nurses was pioneered by LaTrobe University in partnership with Cancer Council Victoria in 1997[3]. Since then over 900 nurses have been trained as Breast Care Nurses [4].
Following her treatment for secondary cancer in 2003,[5] Jane had access to a breast care nurse for the first time and became aware of the impact that they can have on a patient’s physical and mental wellbeing during and after treatment.[5]
This experience led to the development of the Foundation’s two main aims. Jane believed that every woman diagnosed with breast cancer and her family should have access to a breast care nurse, thus one of the main objectives of the Foundation is to fund in communities across Australia.[6]
McGrath Breast Care Nurses are specially trained nurses who act as patient advocates, coordinating care for women experiencing breast cancer, their families and their carers. Since 2003, the McGrath Foundation has worked with the community across Australia to assess which areas are in most need of the support of a McGrath Breast Care Nurse. As of October 2011 the McGrath Foundation funds over 60 nurses around Australia.[7] Currently, 87% of all McGrath Breast Care Nurses are in rural and regional areas.
As of June 2010, the 55 McGrath Breast Care Nurses had supported over 4,500 newly diagnosed Australian families through their breast cancer experience in communities across Australia.[8][9] Over 3,000 of these families have been supported in the past year and there are now McGrath Breast Care Nurses in every State and Territory across Australia.
People experiencing breast cancer can self refer to their nearest McGrath Breast Care Nurse, whose support is then provided completely free of charge. The McGrath Foundation needs to raise approximately $350,000 to place each McGrath Breast Care Nurse in the community for a three year period.[10]
In 2008, the Australian Government pledged $12 million to the McGrath Foundation to fund McGrath Breast Care Nurses in 44 communities for the next three years.[11]
Breast awareness
The second aim of the McGrath Foundation is to promote breast awareness in young women. Only 31 when she was first diagnosed with breast cancer, Jane felt passionately about empowering people under 40 to take control of their health by conductive regular breast checks to be breast aware.[12]
To encourage Australian women to become breast aware, the McGrath Foundation has developed a Breast Awareness card.
References
- ^ *Interview with Jane and Glenn McGrath. [1], Transcript of Andrew Denton's Enough Rope, Sydney, 24 May 2004.
- ^ *Brown, Alex. [2], smh.com.au, Sydney, 22 June 2008.
- ^ [3], Think Pink Foundation
- ^ [4], "Cancer Council Victoria website"
- ^ a b Interview with Jane and Glenn McGrath. [5], Transcript of Andrew Denton's Enough Rope, Sydney, 24 May 2004.
- ^ http://www.mcgrathfoundation.com.au/our-nurses/meet-the-mcgrath-breast-care-nurses McGrath Breast Care Nurses
- ^ [6],"McGrath Foundation website"
- ^ Benson, Kate (22 June 2010). "Jane McGrath's legacy brings care to cancer sufferers". smh.com.au. Sydney. http://www.smh.com.au/national/jane-mcgraths-legacy-brings-care-to-cancer-sufferers-20100621-ysde.html.
- ^ AAP Newswire. [7], Channel 7 News, Sydney, 22 June 2010.
- ^ Cricket Australia Media Release[8], Sydney, 10 November 2009.
- ^ Minister for Ageing, Hon Justine Elliot MP. [9], Media Release, Gladstone, 22 July 2009.
- ^ McGrath, Jane and Glenn. [10], A Love For Life, Sydney, 2000.
External links
Categories:- Health charities
- Charities based in Australia
- Breast cancer organizations
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
