Locals have embraced the cold weather and popped on their beanies to raise money for the Mark Hughes Foundation this week.
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It’s the second annual Beanies for Brain Cancer Awareness Week, coined by Kurri Bulldogs Team of the Century fullback and brain cancer survivor Mark Hughes.
The fundraiser aims to get schools, workplaces and groups together to raise money for better treatments and ultimately to find a cure for brain cancer.
The Advertiser staff donated money and ran a 100 Club, which raised $162 for the foundation.
Kearsley Public School held a beanie day on Thursday, which raised $120.
Flanagan's Menswear is also selling beanies in store, with all of the proceeds going to the foundation.
During last year’s Beanies For Brain Cancer Week, 140 groups registered, wore beanies and raised around $30,000 which helped to fund a Biobank at Hunter Medical Research Institute to store removed brain tumours to be researched and studied.
Hughes said they are hoping to beat last year’s total and be able to send a couple of researchers overseas to places who are involved in cutting edge brain cancer research, as well as implement a cancer care nurse for local patients and continue to fund research.
Wearing a beanie for brain cancer became national news in May when Gold Logie winner Carrie Bickmore – who lost her husband to brain cancer – wore a beanie when collecting her trophy.
Hughes said he was delighted to see Bickmore put on a beanie and raise awareness about the cause, which gave the fundraiser a “big boost”.
“We were just over the moon,” he said.
He said it was fantastic to see Bickmore use her big moment to provide exposure to the disease, as it doesn’t get the same profile as other cancers despite the terrifying statistics.
Brain cancer kills more children in Australia than any other disease, and also kills more people under 40 in Australia than any other cancer.
Only two out of every 10 people diagnosed with brain cancer will survive more than five years.
“It’s a terrible disease, it needs more funding, it needs more awareness,” Hughes said, adding that he has met many people in the Coalfields and Hunter Valley who have been through brain cancer.
“It’s in the community, it’s everywhere and we need help,” he said.
Beanies are available at Flanagan’s Menswear for $15 or on the Mark Hughes Foundation’s website for $18 including postage, or people can buy their own for the fundraiser.
Participants are encouraged to share their photos on social media with the hashtag #mhfbeanieday.
