RIP Jane McGrath

imagine the money wasted on the mars project in one year being put into cancer research, some people have no idea what its like to see a love one whither in to nothing because of the curse.
my thought to the family.

Hi Paul, yes heard about Jane McGrath tonight on the news, terrible at such a young age. Lets hope they can find a cure sooner rather then later. Also Paul my sympathy also goes to yourself and your family. I lost my nan and dad (not so long ago) to it as well and the family rottie earlier this year. Hope your family ok and Jane McGrath's family/husband, and the poor little kids losing there mum must be heart breaking for them all. Regards Steve M

Yes Steve you have to feel for the kids. Have a 34 year old cousin who I think still has not got over losing her Mum at a young age.
Very very sad.
Cheers Pete

Jim,

I don't think her legacy will ever be forgotten, her connection with the Aust cricket team has sealed that.

"Cancer is a bugga [that's me being nice coz there's other words I could use,"

Hi Lyn, I understand fully what you mean, there is a lot of cancer in my family as well, among them was my sister and a nephew, however my other sister (and mother of the nephew) has actually won her battle, she was diagnosed over 25 years ago (Breast cancer) and even though she has had a couple of scares since she has overcome them because it was all caught early and that is the secret. So for all of you out there don't hesitate to get any checks done, 'remember this disease does not discriminate'.

As far as donations are concerned I can't walk past anyone who is raising money for cancer. my family is also in a research programme that is ongoing.

Deepest sympathy to the McGrath family, our hearts go out to them.

D

Hi Lyn, When I read of Jane's passing, I went into a state of shock and I'm not afraid to admit that I did shed a quiet tear when I read the headline. I think it is just so sad when someone with little kids misses out on seeing their children grow and all the special events that happen in ones life.
Cancer affects us all somehow in our lives and it is from the strengths within and that of family and friends that help us carry on in life.
I do wish your parents well and look forward to catching up later in the year.

Des, dad got the all clear today :)

A fine comment.

Very well said Matt, I agree wholeheartedly.

People would pay her the respect that she deserved, whether she had a husband as an Australian cricketer is neither here nor there.

The amount of awareness that she raised for all cancer sufferers is to be commended.

The McGrath foundation was set up to fund nurses to be in regional areas that would otherwise go without, something our taxes couldn't achieve.

With an attitude like yours you obviously haven't had a family member go through the trauma of knowing that their disease has no known cure.

Yes 4 people in our immediate family and we lost two of them.

The people who work or volunteer their time in helping cancer patients and their family's cope in extremely hard times are the ones who should be getting recognition.

These special people aren't married to a celeb or have bags of money... they are just happy to go about their jobs.

When you see a 70 year old pensioner who catches two buses turns up at a cancer ward; rain hail or shine so he or she can spend 5 hours of their day giving support to cancer patients is higher in my list the a cricketers wife.

When the pass away they get a small add in the paper and thats it.

If she was a normal person from an average household do you think she would of done it?..NO I doubt it.

Jane would have probably agreed, however, she was high profile, and that's not a bad thing to raise awareness, to raise funds to give support, to say hey, just because I'm beautiful, famous and wealthy doesn't mean it will bypass me.

No one who has seen people work in cancer wards would ever underestimate their contribution, I've watched this disease eat some of the most precious people in my world, and I take my hat off to all people who worked to make their lives more comfortable, and I admired Jane for doing what she could.

The fact that she wasn't from a normal household meant that the public's awareness was raised..maybe it meant that young women also became aware..it is not just an old person's disease...
I"m sure I'm waffling , I've lived in it's shadow...I"ve held hands with people who it has taken, and I thank god that both my parents are still here [my dad was given the all clear today!]

Lyn

Olcoolone,
jeez mate, is it's Jane's fault that she married a cricketer? Whom, I'm willing to bet wasn't famous at the time they met! You cannot possibly hold that against her.
My Mum was a 73 yo pensioner who used to visit people in hospital too - unfortunately, she also ended up on the receiving end. Was my Mum any better simply because she wasn't "famous"?

Jane was in the unique position whereby she could do something. It just so happened that Jane was in the limelight. Rather than withdraw from society, she put a VERY brave face and publicly fought this insidious disease. You might have noticed that Glen went to great pains to keep his family OUT of the media, which makes it all the more remarkable that Jane chose the path she did.

If just one lady out there decided to get a mammogram or undertake a 2 year smear test, as a result of Janes' efforts, then her efforts were not in vain. I'm also willing to bet, a few 50+ men decided to get prostrate checks as well. My Dad did, and he was in remission for 5 years - until pelvic cancer got him. He was given 6 months - he got 6 weeks. My Mum was similar.

Dont underestimate the power of the Media - if it's used for good reasons, it's very effective. Unfortunately, it doesn't happen often enough, some people apparently prefer to see who's bonking who on Big Brother.

Regards, Matt

Lyn it must be a weight off your shoulders that your dad got the all clear, I know to well what it is like to wait.

I think any one who has or had cancer is a lot stronger person then me, I don't know what I would do if it was me..suppose go and hide somewhere!

I suppose it comes down to fight or flight.

Matt I agree but I get feed up when people highlight someone and forget others, I'm waiting for them to call here a a hero.

I think most people would not really care what she did but because she is a cricketers wife everyone now cares....they think they know her personally.

Why should I feel sorry for her family, it hasn't affected me, I don't know them from a bar of soap.

I can guarantee the media hasn't blown it up for the sake of cancer....it's money to them, more papers they sell or the more people who watch TV about them the better it is for the media outlet.

Same as if someone dies tragically the media always seems to say "he was a father of three" or "a mother of three" does it make it any different if they had no children or they were single?

They want people to feel sorry and connect with the story.

When people feel sorry for someone they don't know personally are they really feel sorry and sad or do they do it because they think it is the normal thing to do and do it out of nature?

Life goes on.

Olcoolone,
Maybe there is media beat up but, it at least raises the profile of the disease - as I alluded to before. Ratings or no ratings.

Fair enough that you dont "know them from a bar of soap", guess what? Neither do I. Nowhere in my previous post did I say anything about feeling sorry for them, but having seen the devastation first hand that it does to a family - I can SYMPATHISE with them - big difference.

People have sympathy for other people they dont know because that my friend, is a basic human emotion - in most people. Be thankful that they do - or we'd probably have hospitals with no-one to staff them - scary huh?

Have you never stopped to help someone who you think needs help? Be it a flat tyre, holding a door open for a person who is needs it, or someone who is just asking for assistance?

The "it hasn't affected me" syndrome is normal too. This is why people among us still speed, drink drive, smoke, take drugs, etc - coz it'll never happen to them! Different wording - same principal.

Dont worry mate, if I come across you someday in trouble - I'll help you because I'll have either been in your situation myself or one day I might!

Cheers, Matt