About the McGrath Foundation
A story well known in Australia, Jane and Glenn McGrath’s much-publicised experience with breast cancer led to the formation of what has become one of Australia’s most respected and recognised charities, the McGrath Foundation.
Because of their experience came the belief that every Australian family experiencing breast cancer should have access to the support of a breast care nurse shaping the McGrath Foundation’s mission to fund McGrath Breast Care Nurses in communities right across Australia and to increase breast awareness in young women.
Today, the McGrath Foundation is considered to be one of Australia’s leading breast cancer support organisations, with over 12,000 Australian families supported by our 73 McGrath Breast Care Nurses nationally in the last three years1.
With a McGrath Breast Care Nurse in every State and Territory throughout Australia, families experiencing breast cancer can self refer to their nearest McGrath Breast Care Nurse (ie they do not require a medical referral) and be supported by one of our McGrath Breast Care Nurses free of charge.
At the same time, the McGrath Foundation is working to increase breast awareness right across the community and 2012 will see the launch of an education strategy to ensure a more informed population of young Australian women experiencing the best health they can through a better understanding of their bodies and breast health.
Everyday, the Australian community supports the McGrath Foundation by making donations, hosting or attending community events or purchasing pink products in our name. Given this we are committed to ensuring all donated funds are used as efficiently as possible to help us achieve our mission. In this context, and based on our financial results for 2009/ 2010, we currently spend approximately 78 cents in every dollar on realising our goals.
The balance of any donated funds are then spent on either supporting our fundraising efforts (which currently cost approximately seven cents in every dollar2) and our operating expenses – (which include items such as rent, office fixtures, stationery, travel and all staff salaries and currently account for approximately 15 cents in every dollar2).
One woman’s experience has seen a team of passionate and dedicated people come together and step up to the challenge of making life with breast cancer in Australia just that little bit easier. Until there is a cure for breast cancer, we are committed to working to provide as much support as we can for families facing a breast cancer experience through the funding of our McGrath Breast Care Nurses nationally.
With the help of the Australian public, the Federal Government, our generous Corporate Friends and our supportive Foundation Friends, everyone at the McGrath Foundation continues to work tirelessly to achieve our mission of a breast care nurse for every Australian family experiencing breast cancer, and to ensure all young women are breast aware.
As we say at the McGrath Foundation – together, we can make a difference!
1Based on statistical results collected in July 2011
2These figures come from our FY10 Financial Statements. As part of our commitment to financial transparency, the Foundation is audited at the end of every tax year and we then prepare and lodge full financial statements with the Australian Securities Investment Commission (ASIC).
A women's rugby team from Australia in the 1930s 
Australia's  (NRL) is to celebrate "Women in League" week, starting yesterday, with themes including sons, raising funds for  support, and club-related specials to encourage women to attend rugby league games.  The week-long celebration of women was started in 2006 to highlight the importance of women to the sport and make the game female-friendlier.

The NRL is planning to celebrate the week in a number of ways, including having teams compete in pink uniforms, and having fans vote for the NRL player fans believe "acts as a role model for mothers and families; someone who continues to impress us on the field, however their off-field characteristics embody what it is we love about rugby league". Additionally, funds are to be raised for the , a charity dedicated to breast cancer support and education, and the Women in League Achievement Award will be given out with the winner earning a 5,000 gift card to , an Australian electronics store.
The 2005 Brisbane women's rugby league grand final between Brothers Ipswich vs West Centenary. 
The NRL has been promoting the event on their Women in League Facebook page. In the past month, their Facebook updates have included posts featuring male players discussing support they received from women in their lives, sales of pink coloured NRL merchandise, plugs encouraging people to vote for their favourite son, pictures of men supporting Women in League, NRL club promotions for tickets and other events connected to Women in League, and information on a school visit promoting anti-bullying. The Facebook page has also promoted women's participation and profiles of women's players as recently as a month ago, when on April 9, it promoted the  Girls 'Come and Try' Day in Canberra.  Prior to that, women were last promoted as players on February 10 when pictures were shared of the Women's All Stars team match with the Indigenous All Stars team.

140,000 women in Australia are involved with rugby league as players, sport administrators, coaches, employees, club members, or volunteers. Karen Hardy of '''' estimates this number could easily be quadrupled if wives, girlfriends, mothers, and other female family members who support male players were included.  Participation is also increasing, with almost a thousand new female players taking up the sport between 2011 and 2012 for 5,801 total registered female players in 2012.


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