FUNDING FROM 2026 DONATIONS SECURES ADVANCED MRI MEDICAL MACHINE TO RESEARCH BRAIN CANCER
BIG THREE TREK ADDS $463,245 TO THE FIGHT AGAINST BRAIN CANCER
The Australian public and wider rugby league community has stood together in support of the Mark Hughes Foundation to raise $3.8 million across the 2026 NRL Beanie for Brain Cancer Round this week.
10 YEARS OF BEANIE BRILLIANCE: $3.8 MILLION RAISED IN NRL BEANIE FOR BRAIN CANCER ROUND 2026
FUNDING FROM 2026 DONATIONS SECURES ADVANCED MRI-PET IMAGING MACHINE TO RESEARCH BRAIN CANCER
BIG THREE TREK ADDS $463,245 TO THE 2026 BEANIE ROUND TOTAL
The Australian public and wider rugby league community has stood together in support of the Mark Hughes Foundation to raise $3.8 million across the 2026 NRL Beanie for Brain Cancer Round this week.
MHF celebrated the 10th year of the NRL’s official charity round, transforming stadiums across New South Wales, the ACT and Queensland into a sea of MHF beanies, uniting fans, players, clubs, volunteers and broadcasters behind the cause.
Funding from this year’s round will contribute to the purchase of a new MRI-PET Imaging Machine that will accelerate discoveries, drive new drug development and help improve outcomes for people living with brain cancer. The MRI-PET imaging instruments are the first of their kind in Australia and are already making significant advances internationally.
NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said the support of rugby league fans has created a lasting impact, with funds raised through the 2026 Beanie for Brain Cancer Round helping support groundbreaking research infrastructure at the Mark Hughes Foundation Centre for Brain Cancer Research at the University of Newcastle.
“The rugby league community has generously stepped up to continue the fight against brain cancer, bringing the total raised over the first decade of Beanie Round to $33.5 million.
“Every beanie purchased during this year’s Beanie Round will directly fund patient care and research capability that has the potential to take us one step closer to beating brain cancer.”
MHF Co-Founder, Mark Hughes, said: “To see and experience firsthand what this round has become after ten years is something I’ll never take for granted.”
“Brain cancer affects families from every walk of life, including mine, and the reality is the statistics haven’t changed enough which is exactly why this support matters so much.
“Every beanie worn, every donation made and every kilometre walked sends a message of hope to people currently facing brain cancer and helps us continue funding research, supporting patients and driving real change.
“We know people are doing it tough and there are so many causes asking for support, which makes what this community gives each year even more remarkable.
“To the fans, volunteers, clubs, players, partners, broadcasters and everyone who got behind the round thank you, we are so grateful. This is what rugby league does best. We show up for each other.”
One of the round’s signature events, The Big Three Trek, once again brought together an inspiring group of 85 trekkers who took on the 150-kilometre journey over three days from Sydney to Newcastle. Since its inception, The Big Three Trek has now raised more than $1.5 million for MHF.
Sportsbet also continued its support of the round, contributing $54,000 through its $1,000 per-try initiative across the round.
The support of rugby league fans has created a lasting impact, with funds raised through the 2026 Beanie for Brain Cancer Round helping support groundbreaking research infrastructure at the Mark Hughes Foundation Centre for Brain Cancer Research at the University of Newcastle.
Brain Cancer Statistics
• Survival rates have changed little over the past 35 years
• Kills more children than any other disease
• Only 2 in 10 people diagnosed survive beyond five years
• Kills more people under 40 than any other cancer
• Receives less than 5% of federal funding for cancer research
• One person every five hours is diagnosed in Australia
About NRL Beanie for Brain Cancer Round and MHF
2026 marks the 10th NRL Beanie for Brain Cancer Round since it began in 2017. The official themed NRL round was the idea of former Channel 9 NRL producer Matt Callander in collaboration with MHF, after his own battle with stage 4 Glioblastoma. Matt sadly passed away in October 2017.
The Mark Hughes Foundation was established in Newcastle by Mark and Kirralee Hughes following Mark’s brain cancer diagnosis in 2013. MHF raises vital funds for research, creates awareness and provides support for brain cancer patients and their families.
