As Sydney gears up for the 9th annual Pink Test to raise money for The McGrath Foundation, the widely respected breast cancer charity is phasing cricket out of its image – or at least, its logo.
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The three stumps that have been the foundation's brand have already been replaced by two pink cursive curves, emblematic, the organisers say, of the warm hug of a breast care nurse.
The McGrath foundation has launched the new brand for the New Year, to represent the important role of breast care nurses to cancer patients.
Cricket legend and foundation chairman Glenn McGrath said that the new look represents the evolving journey of the McGrath Foundation, and the legacy of his first wife Jane McGrath, who died from breast cancer in 2008.
"The new McGrath Foundation logo represents the warm embrace of the care and support provided by McGrath Breast Care Nurses, and also reflects the energy and vitality of supporters, and friends of the McGrath Foundation," he said.
McGrath said the foundation needed a more recognisable logo to raise awareness.
"I think people know who we are but they don't really know the logo. When they see the [old] logo it doesn't really jump out at you…the new one you look at it, you can't misread it," he said.
The old McGrath Foundation logo
While cricket has been excised from the foundation's logo, McGrath said the game would remain a big part of his life.
"Cricket will always be tied to the foundation to a degree but obviously we are more than that. We cover a lot of different other sports and a lot of different walks of life," he said.
The Pink Test is the perfect time to relaunch the brand, McGrath said, focusing on the foundation's work providing support nurses for women after diagnosis.
The new McGrath Foundation logo
The McGrath foundation has funded 110 breast care nurses in communities across Australia assisting 47,000 families.
"[There are] heaps of people watching [so it's] a perfect time to announce the brand refresh," he said. "At the end of the day [this] is definitely not about me, it's not even about the foundation, it's about the nurses."
The 9th Sydney Pink Test is on January 3- January 7.
