Glenn McGrath receives King’s Birthday honors for work with McGrath Foundation

Former Australia pacer Glenn McGrath has been named as the officer of the Order of Australia in the King’s Birthday honors. MacGrath has been a force behind working for the women of the society through his McGrath Foundation. The foundation helps women who have contracted breast cancer and raises awareness of the disease through their educational programs.  

The former pacer started the organisation in memory of his late wife, who succumbed to breast cancer. Cricket Australia supports the initiative by organising the Pink Test during the Ashes every year.  McGrath was the stand-out speedster for the Australian team, having picked 563 Test wickets with an enviable average of under 22. It is worth noting that he had previously received the Order of Australia back in 2008.

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“To go from an AM to an AO is pretty special. To be alongside guys like Steve [Waugh] and Punter [Ricky Ponting], I’ve been promoted up the order. The McGrath Foundation is something I’ve been incredibly proud of for a long time. To think back to when Jane and I first decided to tell our story of her battle through, or journey through, breast cancer … what it’s grown into now is absolutely incredible,” said McGrath as quoted by WA today.

Every person going through breast cancer will have the free service: McGrath

McGrath’s wife died just after the Sydney Test in 2008, which prompted the Cricket Australia to name Sydney Test as the Pink Test. The Pink Test has managed to raise over 22 million dollars for the McGrath Foundation over the time. Moreover, the foundation itself employs 223 nurses who specialise in curing breast cancer and have successfully treated over 137,000 families.

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“I can’t think of a day that I’ve been out where someone hasn’t come up to me and mentioned the foundation and how great they think it is. They’ve been touched by it. This means every family, every person going through breast cancer will have the free service, free access to a breast care nurse wherever they live within a 75 [kilometre] radius. That’s always been our driving force,” McGrath added.