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- 20 Years Of Community Champions
20 years of community champions
Mark, Hugh and Luke's stories
In communities across the country, acts both big and small demonstrate the creativity and generosity of everyday people in Australia who help raise vital funds for the McGrath Foundation.
Mark Hayter, Pink Tiger Day:
More than a decade ago, Mark Hayter from the Curtin University Wesley Football Club in Perth had an idea: what if one day a year, football could bring a community together to fight cancer?
From that vision, Pink Tiger Day was born. What started as a grassroots fundraiser has now raised over half a million dollars for the McGrath Foundation. Players proudly take to the field in bright pink jerseys, and the community shows up in droves to support the cause.
Luke Alexander: The Big Three Trek
Luke Alexander knows that grief can be a powerful motivator. After losing his football coach to cancer, he founded The Big Three Trek – a multi-day walk connecting people who’ve lost loved ones to cancer and want to turn that pain into purpose.
Over four consecutive years, participants have walked more than 400 kilometres in total, travelling from Newcastle to Sydney and arriving at the Sydney Cricket Ground just in time for the iconic Pink Test. The Big Three Trek has raised over $300,000 for the McGrath Foundation.
Hugh Bateman, Pink Up Mudgee:
Hugh Bateman is the kind of person who turns bold ideas into unforgettable action. In 2015, he painted a tractor pink and drove it 3,000 kilometres across New South Wales to raise funds and awareness for the McGrath Foundation.
The journey was more than just a ride, it was a movement – raising nearly $400,000 for the cause. Not wanting to stop there, Hugh launched Pink Up Mudgee, a month-long celebration in October in which shops, garages and even garbage trucks go pink to support the cause.
So successful was Pink Up Mudgee that it became the inspiration for the McGrath Foundation’s Pink Up Your Town campaign, which sees towns right across Australia go pink each October.
“Here’s to the nurses, the new purpose, and the next 20 years of making a difference for all cancers.”
- Hugh Bateman
At the heart of the McGrath Foundation’s extraordinary journey is Kerry Patford, one of the original McGrath Cancer Care Nurses who has since risen to become the Foundation’s Chief Nurse.
Over the last 20 years, McGrath Cancer Care Nurses have been a lifeline in regional and rural Australia, providing expert care, hope, and support to families during their toughest times.
20 years ago, Tracy Bevan sat beside her best friend, Jane McGrath, sharing tears, laughter, and what felt like an impossible dream.
More than 20 years ago, Alison Szwajcer met Jane McGrath. Alison was Jane’s breast care nurse, a humble but unforgettable presence who entered Jane’s life when her cancer returned and metastasised in 2006.