Thirty towns, $300,000, a whole lot of pink.
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The McGrath Foundation fundraiser wrapped the country in a swathe of pink last year on its way to raising a record amount for its team of breast care nurses.
Now the challenge is on to Pink Up Your Town again this year. The question is: How Pink will you go?
The McGrath Foundation is searching for local "champions" to help them top last year's efforts.
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Can you out-Pink these towns from last year? Here are the McGrath Foundation's Top 10 performers from 2018, and some of their Pink Up Your Town fund-raising ideas:
- Griffith/Leeton (NSW): $56,447 (Tradies helping the Ladies event)
- Mudgee (NSW): $49,086
- Penrith/St Marys (NSW): $45,154 (Joined forces with Penrith Panthers)
- Rystone/Kandos/Windermere (NSW): $37,030
- Yungaburra (Qld): $26,444 (Pink Rock and Roll Ball)
- Braidwood (NSW): $25,500 (Twilight markets with fireworks)
- Colac (Vic): $13,880 (Shop promotions throughout the month)
- Hurstville/Georges River (NSW): $11,160 (Banners and feature lighting on buildings across town)
- Long Beach (NSW): $7600
- Port Pirie (SA): $7483 (Pink high tea)
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Pink Up Your Town is the major annual fundraiser for the foundation, run during October as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
The McGrath Foundation already employs 132 breast care nurses across Australia, including in regional and remote areas where expert help may be harder to find.
More than 100 additional nurses are needed to meet the growing rate of breast cancer diagnosis in Australia.
With it costing about $420,000 to fund a McGrath Breast Care Nurse full time for three years, the foundation is hoping to involve more towns and raise more money this year.
They are looking for support from individuals as well as businesses and larger corporations. BP is one of the first to come on board as a major supporter.
"For another year, BP stands proudly beside the McGrath Foundation as a partner and loyal supporter during the Pink Up Your Town campaign," BP's general manager of marketing and innovation Adam Arnold said.
"The campaign highlights the invaluable work of the McGrath Breast Care Nurses, who provide far-reaching physical, psychological and emotional support to Australian families right around the country."
The nurses work with people who are living with breast cancer, and their families, from the time of diagnosis right through treatment and recovery - all for free.
More than 70,000 families have been supported in the past 14 years.
By joining in the Pink Up Your Town campaign, communities can come together to show their support for local families experiencing breast cancer and to raise funds to help place specialist McGrath Breast Care Nurses wherever they're needed.
Local champions, who nominate to lead volunteer committees in towns across the country, will receive plenty of support from the McGrath Foundation to inspire their neighbours, businesses and community groups to take on the fundraising challenge.
You can reach out to become a local champion or register your volunteer group at pinkupyourtown.com.au.
A member of the McGrath Foundation will be in touch to guide you through the next steps.
Who will be crowned the pinkest town of them all? The McGrath Foundation aims to find out.
- Australian Community Media, publisher of this newspaper, is a media partner of the McGrath Foundation.
