Since 2005, the McGrath Foundation has played an instrumental role in helping raise breast cancer awareness across Australia. This Foundation funds McGrath Breast Care Nurses, and these nurses provide direct support for people with breast cancer and their families. As a responsible business, Compass Pools is one of many that support the Mcgrath Foundation, and we do so with our Pink Pool Party initiative.
What is the McGrath Foundation?
Jane McGrath co-founded the McGrath Foundation after battling breast cancer herself. She made her experience public, including how difficult it was to go through breast cancer the first time without the help of a breast cancer nurse. When her breast cancer came back, she found the services of a breast cancer nurse, and this nurse transformed the treatment process and helped Jane handle her diagnosis.
In turn, Jane wanted every Australian family and breast cancer patients to have access to a breast cancer nurse throughout their journey. The McGrath Foundation’s services are entirely free, and these nurses are here to hold your hand and answer any questions you may have. Every January, The McGrath Foundation and people whose lives have transformed due to the Foundation celebrate Jane McGrath Day at the Sydney Cricket Ground at the Pink Test.
The mission of this Foundation is to have nurses who provide emotional, physical and psychological support from the minute a patient has a breast cancer diagnosis throughout the treatment process. It doesn’t matter if you’re in public or private care, the nurses can come to you. Additionally, nurses from the McGrath Foundation provide support and care for early breast cancer to metastatic breast cancer.
The services are 100 percent free, and the McGrath Foundation can continue its work thanks to generous donations from responsible businesses, community members and private donations. There are currently 135 Breast Cancer Care Nurses in the McGrath Foundation, and the Foundation has reached over 75,000 families. They gave over 200,000 hours of care in the last year alone, and this can be invaluable for both the patients and their families.
How the McGrath Foundation Works
This foundation strives to make it as quick and easy as possible for people to gain access to qualified Breast Cancer Care Nurses, and this is why they don’t require referrals. Instead, all you have to do is click on their interactive map. This map will allow you to find one of their nurses closest to you. When you click on one of the nurses; a small profile will pop up and tell you their name, where they are, the facility they work in, facility address, their email, phone number and the days they work.
If you can’t find a nurse near you, you can call the McGrath Foundation’s hotline. This hotline will connect you straight to a Breast Cancer Care Nurse, and they’ll help you find the nurse closest to you. These nurses can then come to you and offer their support or answer questions as they arise.
Ways to Give to the McGrath Foundation
There are numerous ways you can give to the McGrath Foundation, either on your own or as a responsible business to help raise awareness for breast cancer in Australia. It costs roughly $140,000 to support a single McGrath Breast Cancer Care Nurse for a year, so giving is always appreciated. Ways include:
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- Individual Donations – Every little bit helps, and each donation helps fund the commitment and initiative of the McGrath Foundation by providing resources for their nurses and the patients they assist.
- Monthly Donations – Monthly donations help reassure patients with breast cancer that the Breast Cancer Care Nurses’ services will continue well into the future. You can set the donation amount, and they welcome every donation.
- Will – You can write the McGrath Foundation in your will and leave a generous gift after you pass. This lasting gift will support more nurses.
- Celebration – Celebrating someone you know and their triumphant fight with breast cancer is an excellent way to show them you care while raising funds for the Foundation.
- In Memory – Leave a lasting legacy for someone lost to breast cancer by donating funding in their name and honour.
- Shop Pink – Shop pink with the Foundation’s Pink Partner Products any time of the year. Purchase proceeds go back into the program to support the nurses.
- Volunteer – You can join a host of community volunteers that work at the Pink Test event in January or other events the McGrath Foundation hosts throughout the year.
Why Breast Cancer Care Nurses Are so Important
A breast cancer diagnosis can be a terrifying and devastating time in anyone’s life, and no one should go it alone. Family and friends can provide support, but what happens if you have questions? Or, what if you need someone who understands and is ready to hold your hand?
These services are what the Breast Cancer Care Nurses do for both the patients and the family members. They can help guide everyone from the diagnosis point to picking a treatment and beyond. Sometimes, it’s easier to lean on someone not in your immediate family, and that is what the McGrath Foundation’s nurses do. They provide caring, attentive and empathetic support, so you never feel alone.
How Compass Pools Supports the McGrath Foundation
We are a responsible pool manufacturer that takes great pride in working side by side with the McGrath Foundation to fight breast cancer and raise breast cancer awareness across Australia. In 2017, we gladly became a corporate partner with the McGrath Foundation.
In just two short years, we’ve raised over $330,000 that we’ve given directly to the Foundation. Our goal over the next two years is to raise $150,000 per year. This amount is enough money to support one full-time Breast Cancer Care Nurse for a year, and this allows these nurses to continue helping families throughout Australia.
Every single pool we install helps us reach our pledge goal of $150,000 per year in donations. Every client that trusted us to install their pools also gave back to their community through Compass Pools. Additionally, we volunteer our time with various McGrath Foundation activities and events to ensure every penny raised goes directly to supporting the Foundation’s cause.
Throw a Pink Pool Party and Help Compass Pools Hit Our Donation Goal
We decided to challenge ourselves even more and raise our donation goal for the McGrath Foundation by pledging $1 million. The Pink Pool Party started with a dream by Compass Pools founder Ian Mewett. In 2016, he dreamed he was driving down the motorway and spotted a Compass swimming pool with a bright pink exterior. Ian took this as a sign that Compass Pools was meant to help the McGrath Foundation by donating and becoming a corporate partner.
Our new goal is to raise funds over the next few years to hit our target of $1 million for donations. The Pink Pool Party is a fun way for our customers to help raise additional funds while celebrating past, present and future breast cancer patient’s journeys.
You can register to host your own Pink Pool Party, and you can make it a small event for friends and family or a huge event! Once you register, you’ll gain access to pre-made invitations and social media content you can send out to your participants.
Buy Pink Party pool gear from our site, create a pink pool area and party on while raising donations. Once you finish with your party, you can deposit the funds into our collection account, and we’ll put the money toward our goal of $1 million. It’s that simple!
Additionally, Compass Pools hosts Pink Pool Parties throughout the year! Our next Pink Pool Party date is March 7, 2020! You can register your party for this date, and we’ll give out random prizes leading up to the event for party hosts. Join in the fun and help us celebrate the McGrath Foundation at the same time by becoming a Pink Pool Party host!
Visit Your Local Compass Pools to Find Out More About Hosting a Pink Pool Party
If you’d like more information on how Compass Pools supports the McGrath Foundation, you can stop by your local Compass Pools. We’re happy to answer your questions. You can also check out the Pink Pool Party site, the McGrath Foundation or find your nearest authorised dealer.