McGrath women keep Jane’s legacy alive at Pink Test
In spite of COVID restrictions and Glenn McGrath’s absence, the McGrath women are still passionately flying the pink flag at the SCG.
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Pretty in pink, the three McGrath girls will not let the pandemic dent Jane McGrath’s enduring legacy at the 13th Pink Test.
In 2005, Jane’s experience of breast cancer led her and cricketing great husband Glenn to set up the McGrath Foundation, which has so far provided a designated breast care nurse for more than 91,000 families who have endured breast cancer.
Holly was only seven when she lost her mum Jane to breast cancer in 2008 and now at 19 her cheeky grin bears a striking resemblance to her late mother’s.
Along with her stepmum Sara Leonardi-McGrath, who married Glenn in 2010, and Sara and Glenn’s daughter Madison, 5, the family celebrates Jane McGrath Day, the third day of Pink Test.
The foundation has now grown from its original four nurses to an army of 154.
“The Pink Test means so much to all of us in the McGrath family,” Mrs Leonardi-McGrath said.
“Glenn, James, Holly, Maddie and I look forward to (it) every year. It humbles us how Australia and the cricket world have supported us.
“Our strength is in the love and support our family have for one another, the same way our McGrath breast care nurses support those going through breast cancer.
“We don’t know how to thank those who support us enough, and we also want to take this opportunity to thank our team at the McGrath Foundation who always go above and beyond to reach our goals.”
This year Glenn McGrath will miss the Pink Test for the first time because he is in India commentating.
The pandemic has hit the McGrath Foundation hard, according to chief executive Holly Masters, and hanging on to existing nurses is the main focus.
“It’s been really tough because a lot of our fundraising comes from the community — little backyard cricket matches, BBQs and sausage sizzles — and people have not been able to get together so our community fundraising stopped 100 per cent,” Ms Masters said.
“Another big chunk for us is corporate sponsorship and corporate started having to think about where their revenue was coming from and where they were spending.
“Before COVID we were growing at 30 per cent and increasing our number of nurses … I think we will be in a holding pattern for two years.”
With restricted crowd numbers at the SCG, one of the bright ideas out of the pandemic has been the sale of virtual pink seats for the Test.
Fans purchase a virtual seat with their name on it and can share it on social media.
“This year there will be a virtual sea of pink across Australia and I know many of you will be wearing pink on the day, regardless of where you are,” Mrs Leonardi-McGrath said.
“You are the reason that, standing strong together, anything can be achieved, especially now.”
SHE WAS MY ROCK: CANCER SURVIVOR
It takes courage to front up to breast cancer surgery but nearly dying on the operating table before the surgery even took place was the first hurdle Glenmore Park mother-of-two Sarah Gibson faced at the start of her cancer journey in July 2019.
“I woke up in intensive care after I went into anaphylaxis and I still had cancer.”
Unknown to her, she was allergic to the anaesthetic drugs.
“I woke up and was very groggy. When I realise the surgery hadn’t happened, I felt so depressed and fearful and powerless,” the 44-year-old said.
It took two months to figure out what Mrs Gibson was allergic to before she could attempt an operation again.
With Mrs Gibson every step of the way was her rock, McGrath breast care nurse Sarah Maguire.
“It is very challenging to go into your first surgery, so when she woke up in intensive care it took a lot of work to get her confidence up, supporting her for another surgery,” Ms Maguire, 52, said.
Then it happened again. Another close call on the operating table.
“I woke up and they were transferring me to ICU and the nurse said you’ve had another anaphylaxis.”
But this time, thankfully, the surgery had been completed.
Ms Gibson then faced six months of chemotherapy and half way through it the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Again, her McGrath nurse rock was there to soothe her fears.
“She was unbelievable and kept reminding me I will return to a life I will enjoy again,” Mrs Gibson said.
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