The Mark Hughes Foundation is proud to celebrate a special honour for our co-founders, Mark and Kirralee Hughes, following the official unveiling of the Mark and Kirralee Hughes Sports Common at the University of Newcastle.
The new facility, the only synthetic multi-purpose playing field in the Newcastle region, will provide an all-weather space for football, basketball, netball, pickleball, tennis, hockey and futsal, creating new opportunities for students and the wider community to connect through sport and recreation.
This recognition feels particularly meaningful given Mark’s sporting roots as a former Newcastle Knights player and the impact that he and Kirralee have made far beyond the sporting field.
Through the generosity of our supporters and the strength of our partnerships, MHF helped establish and continues to fund the Mark Hughes Foundation Centre for Brain Cancer Research at the University of Newcastle. The Centre brings together leading researchers driving world-class programs focused on improving the lives of people living with brain cancer today while working to increase survival rates into the future.
Earlier this year, the Foundation announced a landmark contribution of $18.9 million to the University of Newcastle, further strengthening our shared commitment to accelerating brain cancer research and delivering hope to patients and families.
The University described the honour as recognition of the difference Mark and Kirralee have made across the region, noting that a facility bearing their name will carry that legacy forward by providing a place where people can come together through sport.
For MHF, the naming is more than a tribute to two passionate community advocates. It is a celebration of what can be achieved when a community unites behind a common goal. Every fundraiser, donation, partnership and act of support has helped build a legacy that extends from sporting fields to research laboratories, creating impact that will be felt for generations to come.
We are incredibly proud to see the Mark and Kirralee Hughes Sports Common become a place where people can connect, participate and thrive, while serving as a lasting reminder of a partnership that continues to change lives.
Image credit: The University of Newcastle
