by Maddy Callander.
HOPE. It’s nothing we can see or measure but it’s something we all carry. It’s something we believe in, something that drives us to do more, to be more.
In 2016, my Dad, Matt Callander was diagnosed with a stage four glioblastoma, the most aggressive form of cancer, with currently no cure. He was given twelve months to live and I must admit…. I didn’t have much hope at all.
But… A year later, on a Thursday night at Shark Park, there it was. And this time, you could see it…
Our very own symbol of hope. A Mark Hughes Foundation Beanie.
In 2017, my Dad spearheaded the NRL’s Beanie for Brain Cancer Round, a weekend of footy dedicated to raising funds and much needed awareness for brain cancer research.
Fast forward eight years and we’re still doing just that. To date, we have sold over 1.3 million beanies across the country and raised over 30 million dollars for brain cancer research. What an incredible feat and the best part, we’re not done yet.
I am so proud of Mark Hughes and his wife, Kiralee and everyone at the foundation for building something so special. I am proud of my Dad’s colleagues at Channel Nine for always showing up. I’m proud of all those at the NRL who continue to get behind this great cause. I am proud of all our family and friends for their unwavering support. And of course, I am proud of our rugby league community.. For coming together each year to do something extraordinary.
As many of you know, my Dad did lose his battle with brain cancer at the end of 2017 and even though he is no longer here to witness this weekend in all of its glory, I do believe he knew exactly what this Round was capable of. He always had hope and the truth is, it wasn’t hope he would survive, it was hope, we would eventually find a cure.
Unfortunately this is the course of so many as every five hours one more person is diagnosed with this terrible disease. One in particular that sits outside the rugby league community is Professor Richard Scolyer.
Professor Scolyer is an Australian pathologist, melanoma researcher and in 2024, he was named Australian of the Year. In June 2023, Professor Scolyer was diagnosed with a grade four glioblastoma. I’ve got to be honest, when I first learnt of this, I struggled to hold back tears… This was the same story, just a different patient. Sure, Richard was a little bit older but not by much and the bottom line I knew all too well…. Same symptoms, same diagnosis, same terrifying survival rate.
Similar to my Dad, Professor Scolyer did not want to take a back seat to brain cancer and instead, he set out to make his own difference.
Alongside his colleague, Professor Long, Professor Scolyer developed a series of world-first treatments based on his previous success in melanoma. They took everything they knew about cancers and threw it at Richard’s tumour. As a result, Richard was the first to delay the removal of his brain tumour and instead received immunotherapy before surgery. Every day he let hope be the driving force behind various experimental treatments, every day he pushed the boundaries, he gambled with his life and he never gave up on the possibility of a breakthrough.
Today, Professor Scholyer is still fighting. It’s been two years since his diagnosis and to be honest, that’s a success in itself… He’s already defied the odds… But the goal is not just to defy them, it’s to beat them and sadly, we’re not there yet.
Just recently, Professor Scholyer received news that the cancer had grown back. This is the reality of a high-grade brain cancer diagnosis as only 5% of people make it past five years.
Richard is proof that even with the best minds, the greatest access to technology and most advanced treatments, we still do not have a cure for brain cancer.
So before you question whether you should add another beanie to your collection, please take a moment to think about the real reason why we are still selling beanies at the footy… Hope.
We’re not asking you to buy a beanie so you can keep your head warm, we’re asking you to join us, again in 2025, in the battle against brain cancer.
To buy a symbol of hope. The hope to find a cure. The hope to make a difference.
In this fight, hope gives us a chance and if you can buy a beanie or donate to the Mark Hughes Foundation, that hope will continue to grow.
