Stawell and Navarre cricketers will paint Saturday’s Grampians Cricket Association A Grade match at North Park pink to raise funds and awareness in the fight against breast cancer.
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The teams will compete in a ‘pink stumps day’ to raise money for the McGrath foundation. The match will run over the next two Saturday’s and will aim to raise in excess of $500.
The money raised for the McGrath foundation goes towards funding for breast care nurses across the country.
Saturday’s pink stumps day will have a personal aspect for organiser and Youth Club player Nic Baird.
Mr Baird’s mother Rosanne was diagnosed with breast cancer at the end of 2016.
Rosanne was given the all clear by doctors towards the end of 2017, but the experience gave the Baird family a first hand appreciation of the work done by all medical professionals in a testing time.
Mr Baird said seeing what his mother went through drove him to organise the fundraiser. “I put it to my club (Youth Club) and they were totally supportive of me organising the day,” he said.
“It has been good to see the community and team spirit from everyone to jump on board where they can.
“49 people are diagnosed with breast cancer everyday in Australia so we are just doing our part to try and help.
“Mum is a lot better now, but cancer is cancer, so we want to make the process as easy as possible for anyone that suffers it in the future.”
Breast care nurses are limited across the nation, especially in regional areas.
Rosanne Baird said the support she received from her nurse was crucial to coping in difficult circumstances.
“The help the McGrath nurses provide is such an important and integral part of the whole cancer cycle,” she said.
“My nurse Wendy is based in Horsham and covers most of the Wimmera, which is just an enormous area to try and cover by herself.
“It was absolutely crucial having her – the care I received was just amazing.”
Mrs Baird said she encourages all women to learn from her experience and make sure they have regular check-ups.
“Whenever people talk to me about it I always tell them to go and have a a mammogram. I would not have found out if i didn’t have one,” she said.
Mrs Baird said she will be at the game dressed in pink.
“I will be there and I hope everyone else will be dressed up in pink,” she said.
“It is fantastic to see fundraisers like these in place to try and grow the number of nurses and reduce the very busy workload they have.”
Donations to the pink stumps day can be placed in tins at Stawell BP, Newton’s Butchers and the National or Hotel or made online at pinkstumpsday2018.gofundraise.com.au/page/NicBaird