10th Pink Test boosts McGrath Foundation’s cancer care fight
TODAY marks Jane McGrath Day at the 10th Pink Test and fast-bowling legend Glenn McGrath says his “humble” late first wife would be “super proud” of the work their foundation has done for breast cancer care.
NSW
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AS THE most successful fast bowler in Test history Glenn McGrath was always hopeful that one day something at the Sydney Cricket Ground would be named after him.
“The SCG is my favourite ground in the world, my home ground, and now to have a day there,” he deadpanned ahead of Jane McGrath Day today in the middle of the Sydney Pink Test.
“I thought it might have been something named after me but that’s fine.”
The reality is that McGrath, 47, could not be happier with the support the world of cricket has shown for the foundation named after his late wife Jane, who lost her second battle with breast cancer almost 10 years ago.
In 2005, after beating cancer the first time, she and the cricket great founded the McGrath Foundation, which is dedicated to raising money for breast care nurses to support patients in rural and regional Australia. Since then more than 60,000 families have been supported by 119 nurses.
“We hoped that by telling our story, by doing something, if we could help one person that’s worthwhile. But what it’s grown into is incredible,” McGrath, 47, said.
Today the 10th Pink Test will turn the SCG into a sea of rosy shades, with both the Australian and English teams, fans, the Barmy Army and NSW Police embracing the charitable cause that aims to raise $1.3 million to pay for 10 more nurses this year.
McGrath will be there with second wife Sara, 36, their two-year-old daughter Madison, and his children with Jane; James, 17, and Holly, 16.
“I think it’s a great legacy for James and Holly to be part of a day of celebration and hope,” he said.
“Jane would probably be very humble, probably slightly embarrassed that such a big fuss is being made, but she’d be super proud of what’s been created.
“She’d also be super proud of her family, especially the way Holly and James have turned out and just how they’re going in life.”
A big part of that can be credited to Sara, who married McGrath in 2010.
“You know it’s tough to come into someone else’s life and especially with the foundation and how people feel about change and everything else. But the kids just love her to bits,” he said.
Sara said the children could not have been more welcoming.
“We are blessed that I did have kids that were very receptive to me from the beginning,” she said.
“Being a step-parent is about providing guidance. It’s about love and it’s about being there for their psychological, emotional and physical needs 24/7. That’s your job as a parent.”
The couple received some criticism in the early days, particularly when the foundation conducted a poll to gauge reaction to their engagement. But they weathered the storm.
“Nobody knows quite how to react to things so I suppose that if things are a mistake it’s an opportunity to learn and to do something better. I think it’s just a question of growth for everyone,” Sara said.
“Now when people want to write something about step-mothering or step-parenting, they come to Sara,” laughed McGrath, sitting comfortably next to his wife of almost eight years on the sofa of their waterfront Cronulla home.
They have recently returned from completing the New York Marathon together — a feat that left McGrath marvelling at his wife’s ability to run and keep talking at the same time.
Sara was left in awe of jet-lagged Holly’s babysitting powers with two-year-old Madison.
“She really did the babysitting marathon,” said Sara, who also has very firm views on what completing the marathon really means, saying it’s not an achievement but an accomplishment.
“Well, certainly if you accomplish something you get the task you want done. For example, the McGrath Foundation is an achievement.
“Our marathon was an accomplishment. We got it done.
“An achievement is when you do something and you excel at it.”
The foundation’s achievement will be acknowledged by the attendance of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull at the Pink Test today.
“For the Prime Minister of the country to come along I think speaks to the importance of how people view us. So that’ll be special too, 10 years in a row the Prime Minister has come along to our high tea,” McGrath said.
In fact it is now so popular that the foundation has launched the Pink Picnic next door at Allianz Stadium.
“So many people want to come along and we’ve only got a certain amount of seats so now we’ve got The Pink Picnic. It’s our first year,” McGrath said.
“In Allianz Stadium, out on the ground, you can bring the family along and you get a pink rug and a pink hamper.”
Cricket fans who don’t have a ticket to the sellout final Ashes Test can still buy a ticket to the picnic and, crucially, McGrath added: “There’s a big screen there.”
For McGrath, whose life has been cricket, the Sydney Test is a fantastic time. “A lot of people come up to me and say ‘I love what you did but what you’re doing now is so important. Congratulations.’
“People are very supportive. And they also see how happy I am, how happy our family is and I think that’s important and that says a lot about Sara too.
“Life’s going well.”