Jane McGrath

Jane Louise McGrath AM (née Steele; 4 May 1966 – 22 June 2008) was an English-born Australian cancer support campaigner, and the wife of former Australian cricket fast bowler Glenn McGrath.

This article is about the Australian cancer support campaigner. For the Irish actress, see Jane McGrath (actress).

Jane McGrath
Born
Jane Louise Steele

(1966-05-04)4 May 1966
Paignton, Devon, England
Died22 June 2008(2008-06-22) (aged 42)
Cronulla, New South Wales, Australia
Cause of deathBreast cancer
NationalityEnglish Australian
Known forCancer support campaigner/activist
Spouse
​
(m. 1999)​
Children2
Parent(s)Roy Steele (father)
Jen Steele (mother)

Background

McGrath was born Jane Louise Steele on 4 May 1966 to Jen and Roy Steele, a now-retired newsagent in Paignton in the English county of Devon.[1] She worked as a flight attendant for Virgin Atlantic when she met her future husband in a Hong Kong nightclub in 1995.[2] They married in 1999 at the Garrison Church[3] and had two children. She became an Australian citizen on Australia Day, 26 January 2002. McGrath was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) on 26 January 2008 for service to community health through support for women with breast cancer and the establishment of the McGrath Foundation.

Cancer

McGrath first learned she had breast cancer in 1997 at the age of 31. Following a mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, she was deemed cancer-free by June 1998. Despite fears that cancer treatment may have left her sterile, she later gave birth to two children who were both breast-fed.[4] In 2003, McGrath was diagnosed with metastatic disease in her bones.[4] In 2004, she appeared with her husband on Andrew Denton's Enough Rope on the ABC, describing her work for the foundation and her personal experiences.

In early 2006, brain metastasis was found and by May, she was undergoing radiation treatment at three-week intervals.[4] The tumour was found and successfully removed. At the time, she lost her hair and became depressed, but again went into remission and continued her work with the foundation.[4] She became severely ill in mid-June 2008 and died on the morning of 22 June at her Cronulla home; she was 42. McGrath's funeral was held at the Garrison Church.[3]

McGrath Foundation
Main article: McGrath Foundation

In 2005, Glenn and Jane McGrath founded the McGrath Foundation, a charitable organisation dedicated to raising money to fund breast care nurses in rural and regional Australia, and to increase breast awareness in young women. As of May 2022, 177 McGrath breast care nurses have been placed in communities throughout Australia, supporting over 67,000 Australian families experiencing breast cancer.

The third day of the first Sydney Test cricket match at the Sydney Cricket Ground each year is now known as Jane McGrath Day, where money is raised for the McGrath Foundation. Spectators at the SCG wear pink to show their support, and sponsor logos in various places are also recoloured pink for the match. The Ladies Stand is also temporarily renamed The Jane McGrath Stand for the day.[5]

On 5 January 2013, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced an $18.5 million donation to the McGrath Foundation from the Australian Government. The funding allowed all 44 existing McGrath breast care nurse positions to continue and expand the program by 10 full-time equivalent places.

References
Specific
  1. "Fantastic daughter who was such a fighter". thisissouthdevon.co.uk. 13 January 2009. Retrieved 12 October 2009.
  2. Royall, Ian (23 June 2008). "Jane McGrath personified courage and grace". Herald Sun. Retrieved 25 June 2008.
  3. Ramachandran, Arjun (25 June 2008). "Wedding to funeral: Glenn's grim day at the Garrison". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  4. Brown, Malcolm; Jonathan Pearlman; Jamie Pandaram (22 June 2008). "Finally Jane loses long fight for life". The Age. Retrieved 23 June 2008.
  5. Budd, Henry (5 January 2012). "Cricket fans urged to wear pink for the McGrath Foundation". The Daily Telegraph (Sydney). Retrieved 5 January 2012.
General
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