WOMEN are encouraged to check themselves for breast cancer this week, with the annual Pink Test and Narromine’s Pink Pigeon race day painting a light on the issue.
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Cricketing legend Glenn McGrath said he hopes women watching the Pink Test this week will check themselves for breast cancer during the match and seek help if they find anything unusual.
Coinciding with the test match, is the annual Pink Pigeon race day, to be held between Narromine and Trangie on Saturday, also drawing attention to breast cancer.
A community day will kick off the event in Narromine at Dundas park, with the pigeons released to fly back to organiser Shane Dolton’s home in Trangie.
Already the festival, covering a number of events since it started in December, has raised over $8000 for the McGrath Foundation following a three man ambrose golf tournament and Calcutta and charity sheep sale at the Dubbo sale yards.
Event organiser Shane Dolton said the pigeon Calcutta alone had raised close to $3000, with the faovourite purchased at $480 by a Narromine syndicate.
The community day starts at 7.30am on Saturday with a breakfast barbecue and coffee before the pigeons are released.
It follows the Australia verse India fourth test at the SCG which starts on Thursday, also a day in which women attending the cricket are being encouraged to focus on their own health for at least a few minutes.
"There are plenty of stories where women watching the Test, they have sort of checked themselves or noticed something not quite normal, and gone and got themselves checked out and found out they had breast cancer but it was still in the early stages," Mr McGrath said.
McGrath said women - and men too - should "get to know your bodies and if you do see a change or think there's something there go and get it checked out".
His wife Jane's battle with breast and bone cancer led to the formation of the McGrath Foundation. Jane died in 2008 aged 42.
The next generation of the foundation could include the couple's teenage children - Holly and James - and his daughter Madison with second wife Sara Leonardi-McGrath.
"You never know, there's that opportunity to play some sort of role moving forward. They're always involved in the Sydney Test every year; it's something that they're proud of and I think it's a great legacy that their mum has left for them too," McGrath said.
The McGrath Foundation hopes to raise more than $2 million this year towards breast care nurses.
Research from the foundation shows there will be a shortfall of more than 100 of the specialist nurses in 2019.
Players and fans wear pink during the Sydney Test each year to show support for those experiencing breast cancer and to raise funds for the McGrath Foundation.
With Australian Associated Press
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