THE power of pink has been felt across the nation with towns rallying together to raise more than half a million dollars for the annual McGrath Foundation Pink Up Your Town campaign. Celebrating its third year, the event saw local clubs, businesses, schools and neighbours plan pink-themed activities across the country during Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. Almost 70 towns across Australia 'Pinked Up', raising a whopping $580,000, which will go towards supporting the McGrath Foundation's vision of ensuring every family experiencing breast cancer across Australia has access to a McGrath Breast Care Nurses for free. McGrath Foundation Ambassador and Director, Tracy Bevan, said it was incredible to see the towns come together. "It was inspiring to see the number and variety of fundraising campaigns run across each of our 70 towns and to see the way every town came together," she said. "As our biggest community-led fundraiser, Pink Up Your Town is critical to ensuring we reach our vision of a McGrath Breast Care Nurse for every family experiencing breast cancer across Australia. "Thank you to every person who organised, contributed and donated, we can't do what we do without you." Communities in each state planned pink-themed fun runs or walks, morning teas, gala balls, auctions, raffles, sporting days and even good, old-fashioned sausage sizzles with Mudgee raising as much as $85,000. The small town northwest of Sydney held a very special Pink Race Day and a Pink Triathlon, with the entire community getting involved. Other major fundraising towns included Penola in South Australia bringing in $45,000 with their Pink Donut Days, Pink Burgers and Beats, Pink Bowls and a rainbow fun run. The folk in Margaret River raised a further $42,000 by hosting a Pink Ball and Pink Morning Tea with Parkes and Berry in NSW raising $35,000 and $32,000 respectively. The Foundation currently funds 135 nurses who provide essential support for anyone experiencing breast cancer and their families for free. The ongoing need for these very special nurses has made 'Pink Up Your Town' one of the most important events on the McGrath Foundation calendar. The support provided by a McGrath Breast Care Nurse includes scheduling and attending specialist appointments, answering questions and decoding medical jargon. This ensures patients are empowered to make decisions about their treatment. The McGrath Foundation proudly supports the work of their nurses right across Australia including many regional and rural centres, where breast cancer treatment and support may be harder to access. For more information about the McGrath Foundation and McGrath Breast Care Nurses, visit: mcgrathfoundation.com.au.