Pretty in pink

09 June 25

McGrath Foundation By RW Bro Richard Collins

I was 12 when a very good friend of my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Unfortunately, since then I have known many more women who have received the same terrible diagnosis.

It was the McGrath Foundation that helped me to show my support to those women going through this journey.

My involvement with the McGrath Foundation started in 2009 when some friends and I wore a pink shirt at the cricket test. We were in the minority. We made a donation for the bandanas and tied them on our heads. To our shock and surprise we became instant TV stars. That night after the cricket, whilst we reminisced about the cricket games and our new status as TV stars, we started our planning for the next McGrath Foundation Day.

Our dress-ups started with wearing pink wigs and pink hats. Then we made the move to buy pink suits. We then became a hit with other cricket supporters, photographers and media.

There have been a number of occasions when the McGrath Foundation sought us out to be in the background for when Glen McGrath was being interviewed.

Our focus has been on how to enhance our stylish suits with different types of novelty head wear such as flamingos, top hats and country style hats with flowers, to mention just a few. This has always gained us lots of media attention and thousands of private photos.

In more recent times I have been interviewed by all the major television stations, featured on morning shows and news broadcasts, advertising for the Pink Test and photos in the major Sydney newspapers.

Last year we even made Indian TV. Over the years I have made many friends, including a wonderful lndian cricket fan who proudly wears his pink turban. Over the years the wave of pink has grown to a stage where about 95% who attend have some form of pink on or with them.

The McGrath Foundation’s Tracey Bevan has congratulated us on the support we have provided.

I never dreamed when I set out on this journey that the Pink Test would grow like it has. In the beginning I believed that it would fall by the wayside. How delighted I am that I was wrong.

I have happily become an integral part of the promotion of the McGrath Foundation, and I shall continue to do so.