Mark Hughes Foundation Turns 10

After being diagnosed with brain cancer, former Knights player Mark Hughes and his wife Kirralee banded together to make a difference. Mark noticed the lack of funding being allocated toward brain cancer research and treatment in comparison to other cancers. So, in 2014  the pair created the non-profit, health promotion charity the Mark Hughes Foundation (MHF), raising money to find a cure.

As a simple fundraiser the charity began the Beanie for Brain Cancer Campaign. The program went from selling only a couple hundred initially, to now having sold more than a million over the past 10 years. Now as a decade has passed, MHF has raised almost $30 million, as well as opening a $25 million Brain Cancer Research Centre at the University of Newcastle.

The foundation is still run by Mark and Kirralee, with Mark still insisting on being a volunteer, wanting to more funds to be allocated to the cause. “It’s very humbling looking back because we don’t often get a chance to reflect,” said MHF Events Coordinator Kris Buderus. “We’ve built a beautiful community in the past 10 years. It’s been an incredible journey, but we’ve still got a lot to achieve.” The foundation’s dedication knows no bounds, bringing us closer to a cure one beanie at a time.

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Story by Olivia Goeldner