VALE JANE McGRATH

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VALE JANE McGRATH

Cricket Australia have just announced the sad passing of Jane McGrath, aged 42, wife of Australian great Glenn McGrath.

What a tragic loss.

Jane and Glenn co-founded the McGrath Foundation, after her initial recovery from breast cancer.

Jane experienced first hand the shortage of breast care nurses in Australia during her treatment and became determined to help others in her situation.

The McGrath Foundation educates young women to be ‘breast aware’ as well as raising money to place McGrath Breast Care Nurses.

If any person can get a chance to see the interview Andrew Denton conducted with Jane and Glenn, please do so as it clearly shower what a fantastic souple they were.

To Glenn and the couple's two children, we express our deepest sympathy.
 
Re: VALE JANE McGRATH

Wow, sad news for all concerned with Australian cricket. I personally thought she had gotten over the disease but sadly it appears not.

RIP.
 
Re: VALE JANE McGRATH

Sad news that hit just about everyone yesterday was the death of Glenn McGrath's wife Jane.
The fact that she had surgery earlier in the year and died from the complications to that surgery yesterday day means that the whole foundation that Glenn set up due to his wife's illness is also hit hardest because they know her inside out and back to front.

So the best thing I can say here and this isn't just because of Jane's death but I am saying we should perhaps put a donation in to the McGrath Foundation.

Click my sig as I will have the link to the site there if you want to donate a couple of bucks.
 
Re: VALE JANE McGRATH

Horrible news, her and Glenn's charity work was never ending. May it continue and her memory live on
 
Re: VALE JANE McGRATH

Guru™;221765 said:
Horrible news, her and Glenn's charity work was never ending. May it continue and her memory live on
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It will continue. Just goes to show how much Pidge really loved Jane. Well enough to set up a foundation for her and anyone else with Breast Cancer.
Whilst we are all in mourning for Jane, it was her dying wish that the foundation continues.
 
Re: VALE JANE McGRATH

I have found a link for everyone to read.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23905586-661,00.html

CRICKET great Glenn McGrath is struggling to come to terms with the loss of his "best friend" and wife Jane to a 10-year battle with cancer.

"I am devastated by the loss of my beautiful wife Jane, she was my best friend," McGrath said today.

McGrath said the family had been hard hit by Jane's death after she suffered complications from surgery.


"This is also a very tough time for our children James and Holly. I am grateful they were able to spend the time they had with their mother.

"Both are only young but as the years pass and they grow older I will ensure that they never forget how much she loved them. They were her world.

"I would like to think Jane will be remembered as an extraordinary person whose courage and determination humbled me and inspired so many people."

McGrath said his wife would not want other breast cancer sufferers to give up hope in the wake of his wife's death.

"Jane would want those women who are battling breast cancer to stay strong.

"She would want them to draw strength from the fact she didn't only 'survive' breast cancer for 11 years, but during that time she lived life to the fullest and found pleasure in the simple things so many people take for granted."

"I never took for granted the time I had with Jane and if there is one thing that can be drawn from her life, it is that every day is a blessing."

Friends said the McGrath family knew the end was coming, and was determined to keep her final battle private.

Ms McGrath was first diagnosed with breast cancer 11 years ago. The British-born former flight steward also battled secondary cancers in her hip and brain.
It was with deep sadness that her family announced she had died.

"Jane's wonderful life ended peacefully after a sudden decline in her health over the past week," a statement said.

Cricket Australia has announced that the national side will wear pink ribbons and add pink handles to their bats to pay tribute during the opening game of the five-match one-day series against the West Indies on Wednesday (Melbourne time).

Ricky Ponting said his team's thoughts were with the recently retired McGrath and his family, with the Australian skipper also paying tribute to the courage of Ms McGrath in campaigning against cancer while battling the disease for 11 years.

"Jane was a wonderful person who fought and maintained grace and dignity during her long-term illness," Ponting said.

"She was an exceptionally friendly and lovely person who displayed great courage and stoicism during her illness.

"She was a tremendous mother to James and Holly and shared a very special and deep relationship with Glenn in the time they had together.

"All of us are thinking about Glenn and their children at this very sad time. We all wish to convey that our best wishes go with him and to know our heartfelt sympathies are with the family at this time.

"Jane will be very fondly remembered by all of us."

Ms McGrath, 42, had her latest round of surgery this year and was recovering before complications arose.

Her battle won the hearts of Australians as she vowed never to give in.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was among the first to pay tribute, saying her courageous struggle touched all Australians.

The McGraths were both named Members of the Order of Australia in January. Ms McGrath was too sick to attend and accept the honour.

The recognition followed their work in establishing the McGrath Foundation, a support organisation for women suffering breast cancer.

The foundation, which sponsors a program of breast care nurses, followed the response to a book the couple wrote about Jane's initial cancer battle.

The book, and a moving interview on Andrew Denton's Enough Rope program, highlighted Ms McGrath's determination to survive and help others battle the disease.

"There's nothing, nothing I won't do, try, or be to beat it. Nothing at all. So death isn't an option for me," she said in 2004.

The vivacious blonde, who met her future husband while working as a flight attendant in Hong Kong, became a very public figure for the cause, organising and attending high-profile fundraisers for various breast cancer groups.

Her death created a chorus of condolences from the cricketing and medical worlds.

Breast Cancer Network Australia chief Lyn Swinburn said Ms McGrath wanted to keep the fight private.

"Over the past several months, Jane has kept pretty private and you need to conserve every ounce of strength you've got for this," Ms Swinburn said.

"The end may have caught people suddenly, but I think Jane was determined that she never wanted people to be feeling sorry for her.

"She never portrayed herself as a victim, and nor would she want to be seen that way."

Ms McGrath, born Jane Steele, became an Australian citizen in 2002 and celebrated her 42nd birthday last month.

She was diagnosed with breast cancer in August 1997, when she was 31.

She had a mastectomy, followed by six months of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

After ending therapy, she married McGrath; James was born in 2000 and Holly in 2001.

But the cancer returned in 2003, and again in 2006, prompting her husband's retirement from Test cricket.

Yesterday, the statement by her family described the impact her life would continue to make on others.

"Jane McGrath has left a lasting legacy through the McGrath Foundation, an organisation that is providing thousands of women hope - and support - in their fight against breast cancer."

This year, the federal Budget gave the McGrath Foundation $12 million to provide specialist nurses for women suffering from breast cancer.
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Re: VALE JANE McGRATH

Jane McGrath left behind a message to her dearest friends and loved ones: "I have fought the good fight".

The words were penned by McGrath and read out by Test batsman Matthew Hayden's wife Kellie during the funeral service at a church in Sydney.

"The time is here for me to leave this life," the note read. "I have fought the good fight to the end, I have done my best in this race, I have run the full distance and I have kept the faith.

"And now there is waiting for me a prize of victory awarded for the righteous life, the prize which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day, not only to me, but to all those who wait with love."

The funeral ended with emotional but reaffirming scenes, with Glenn McGrath and his two young children releasing white doves in Jane's honour as her coffin was loaded into the hearse.

Ms McGrath, 42, died at her Sydney home last weekend after an 11-year battle with breast and bone cancer, and then a brain tumour.
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http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=586039
 
Re: VALE JANE McGRATH

To all you blokes that play cricket go out buy a pink grip for your bat and put it on your bat,I know myself being a wicketkeeper I have gone out and bought a pair of the keeping gloves that Gilchrist wore at the MCG ,I have'nt done it to be seen as a lair but I have done to support this great family and what they done for women in Australia
 
Re: VALE JANE McGRATH

Breast Cancer is something that you don't want to have happen to your loved ones. It's the same with your other halves not wanting you guys to get prostate cancer.
 
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