Less than a year after launching the Wear a Beanie for Brain Cancer initiative in the Hunter Valley the Mark Hughes Foundation fundraiser has been given national exposure by Gold Logie winner Carrie Bickmore.
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On Sunday night Bickmore donned a beanie to create awareness for brain cancer when making an emotional acceptance speech on stage at Melbourne’s Crown Casino.
The following day #beaniesforbraincancer was trending on Twitter with Australian morning television presenters, Rove McManus in New York and the Maitland Pickers all joining in.
“We are absolutely over the moon,” Hughes said.
“Brain cancer has never really had a big profile and it was just given a big stage.
“To see everyone jump on board the beanies for brain cancer like they did was just amazing.”
Hughes, a Kurri Kurri rugby league junior and 1997 Maitland Sportsperson of the Year, launched the concept in July last year which encouraged people across the Hunter to wear a beanie for one day in a specific week for a gold coin donation.
Friends and teammates of the dual Newcastle Knights premiership winner, including former Australian skipper Danny Buderus and current club captain Kurt Gidley, helped Hughes promote the cause close to their heart.
Hughes was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2013 and had a malignant tumour removed almost two years ago.
In the early stages of last year he officially launched his own foundation in conjunction with the Hunter Medical Research Institute with donations in excess of $50,000 kickstarting the campaign.
The inaugural Wear a Beanie for Brain Cancer was well supported and it will be held again this year, between July 20 and 24.
The announcement from Bickmore, who lost her husband to the disease in 2010, came at the start of Brain Cancer Action Week.
“The aim is to increase awareness about brain cancer and finding a cure,” Hughes said.
“So any support is good support, but this couldn’t have come at a better time.”
Hughes was guest speaker at the 50th anniversary Maitland Sportsperson of the Year awards in March, 2014, and $6170 was raised for the foundation from the Mercury event.
Two charity golf days have also been conducted in the vineyards for Hughes since he was diagnosed, and the hope was that it would continue as an annual fundraiser for the foundation.
Hughes was to appear on Bickmore’s television program The Project on Monday night.
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