'Got to keep fighting': Hughes outlines vision as NRL unites to find brain cancer cure

Mark Hughes has outlined his vision to use the next decade to find a cure for brain cancer as the NRL unites for the 10th edition of Beanies for Brain Cancer Round. 

The event has grown significantly since it was first launched in 2017, raising nearly $30 million to fund crucial research into the deadly disease. 

Players and fans will again don beanies to support the cause this weekend, with supporters urged to purchase their beanie to help raise money for the Mark Hughes Foundation throughout Round 17. 

Hughes has used his own cancer journey to drive the push to find a cure, however families around the country continue to lose loved ones to the disease.

It's a situation the former Newcastle star is determined to change and he is confident the continued growth of Beanies for Brain Cancer Round will play a key role in his mission.

"Unfortunately you get some stark reminders when you see families that have been devastated by this disease and that's not going to stop happening," Hughes told NRL.com. "We've got to keep fighting. I've got to keep fighting. 

"I know the facts and I've got brain cancer, so I need the answers as well. I get scans every five months so I'm very lucky at this point but there's no cure for this disease and we need help. The NRL community has certainly given us that help."

Hughes' battle started in 2013 when he was diagnosed with brain cancer and dealt with the harsh reality that just 20% of sufferers survive for more than five years following diagnosis.

In Australia, brain cancer kills more children than any other disease and more people under 40 than any other cancer. One person is diagnosed with brain cancer every five hours.

The situation prompted the premiership winner to dedicate his life to improving those statistics and he came up with the concept of Beanies for Brain Cancer. 

The effort grew a couple of years later when Johnathan Thurston got behind the cause and Hughes later united with former Channel 9 NRL executive producer Matt Callander to launch a competition-wide round. 

Callander lost his battle with brain cancer in October 2017, with Hughes determined to carry his legacy forward. 

Across the nine Beanies for Brain Cancer Rounds to date, rugby league fans have helped the MHF raise $29.7 million through the sale of more than 1.3 million beanies. 

The support of the rugby league community enabled the MHF to establish one of the country’s leading brain cancer research centres at the University of Newcastle in 2022. Earlier this month, the MHF contributed a landmark $18.9 million philanthropic gift to drive the next phase of research.

There are currently more than 160 researchers working to find a cure for brain cancer at the university. Ten years ago, there were none. 

NRL CEO Andrew Abdo is proud of the support the game has provided and hopes to see continued benefits of the fundraising effort throughout the coming years.

"During Beanie Round this year the rugby league community will surpass $30 million in funds raised through beanie sales and donations for MHF, which has directly contributed to significant advancements in brain cancer research in Australia," Abdo said. 

"This support was critical in the establishment of the MHF Centre for Brain Cancer Research at the University of Newcastle and has enabled MHF to invest more than $10 million in innovation grants that have supported 45 research projects and hundreds of researchers across Australia.

"Some of this work is now progressing to clinical trials – offering real hope and helping bring research outcomes to patients faster than ever before.

"The MHF and the rugby league community is making a real difference for people fighting brain cancer."

The rugby league community has been impacted by brain cancer on multiple fronts, adding to the importance of this weekend's fundraiser. 

Former Tigers, Sharks and Dragons performance manager Alex Clarke lost his battle with the disease this January, while Sandra Gardiner, the sister of Samoa coach and Perth Bears assistant coach Ben Gardiner, died of a brain tumour in 2023. 

Gardiner donated her brain to the MHF to support further research.

Hughes has long recognised the interconnected relationship between rugby league and brain cancer, with lessons from his career helping his fight with the disease. 

"My rugby league background has played a huge part in my fightback and the way I take on this journey," Hughes said. "I hope people are sitting back watching what I do, how I act, and following my path.

"I'm about 12 years down the track from where I started so I'm hoping there's plenty of people out there chasing me and following my path."

Help raise funds for vital research into brain cancer by purchasing your Beanies for Brain Cancer beanie. Beanies are available at every NRL match of Round 17, along with selected Woolworth, IGA and Lowes stores and the Mark Hughes Foundation website.