Breast Cancer Awareness Month

It’s time to get ‘pinked’ for a good cause! October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and joining TODAY to tell us what we can do to help is the McGrath Foundation’s Tracey Bevan and Glenn McGrath.

Today, Australia's first ever pinked V8 supercar racing team, ‘Team McGrath’, will be launched. Also a part of the awareness month, five high teas will be held nationally that Tracy will be attending - Sydney is sold out, but there are still a few tickets available to Adelaide, Gold Coast and Brisbane. And what’s more, people can celebrate Christmas with the McGrath Foundation – they’re busily gearing up for their Gala Dinner in December, which will be held in Sydney at the Hordern Pavilion.

The Foundation has taken on some new initiatives lately. Since it takes a true man to wear pink, the Foundation has launched the McGrath Pink Hard Hat - 400 stevedores at Patrick terminals have been kitted out in support. And if you want an RTA pink plate, you better hurry – the promotion has only one month to go!

A recent poll found two in three (64 percent) women that have heard of Jane McGrath have been directly impacted as a result of the publicity surrounding her breast cancer story.

In the 12 months since Jane's death the foundation received just over $5.5 million in donations, negotiated the placement of an additional 44 McGrath Breast Care Nurses. Jane passed away on June 22 , 2008 and it was her vision that there would be a breast care nurse for every woman diagnosed with breast cancer, and her family, in Australia, and that through increased breast awareness, young women would be able to detect changes earlier and thus, get a better outcome. With your support this dream is gradually being realised.

Jane's best friend and Executive Director of the McGrath Foundation, Tracy Bevan, believes the McGrath Foundation has come a long way in the year and is proud of the work that is being done and the results achieved.

Jane’s influence - Newspoll

97 percent of women surveyed had heard of Jane McGrath.

Two in three (64 percent) women that have heard of Jane McGrath have been directly impacted as a result of the publicity surrounding her breast cancer story:

4 in 10 became more concerned about breast cancer.
4 in 10 were prompted to discuss breast cancer with family and friends.
1 in 4 started conducting regular breast self examinations.
Almost 2 in 10 asked their doctor to conduct a breast examination.
1 in 10 have become involved in breast cancer education and awareness campaigns.

Breast cancer statistics – 2009 Breast Cancer Survey, Newspoll

Only two thirds (67 percent) of Australian women, aged 18 years and over, have ever had a breast examination conducted by their doctor.

Yet, 92 percent of women surveyed had previously had a dental check up and 80 percent had their doctors conduct pap smears.

Those aged 40+ (78 percent) were much more likely than those aged 18-39 (50 percent) to have a breast examination conducted by a doctor.

Alarmingly, 32 percent of women had never had a breast examination carried out by a doctor. 49 percent of 18-39 year old women and 21 percent of women aged 40 years and over had never had a breast examination conducted by a doctor.

One in three women (31 percent) say they perform a self breast examination every month.

16 percent perform a breast self-check every three months

16 percent perform a breast self-check every six months

7 percent only conduct a self breast examination once a year

Importantly, 17 percent of women say they never perform self breast examinations

Three in four women (75 percent) have a personal connection to breast cancer - either knowing someone diagnosed with the disease or having been diagnosed themselves.