IT is the arena where Mark Hughes gave Knights fans plenty to cheer about during his playing career. Now, McDonald Jones Stadium is repaying the favour.
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The Turton Road colosseum's sign has donned the beanie in a show of support for former Knight Mark Hughes' cause on its biggest weekend of the year.
Behind the scenes, it has also acted as a processing and storage hub for the woolen headwear expected to be in high demand over the next few days.
The NRL's Beanies for Brain Cancer round kicked off with last night's clash between the Rabbitohs and Brisbane. Hunter supporters will get their chance to back the cause when the Knights take on the Warriors at Turton Road at 3pm tomorrow.
It is the fifth year rugby league has officially backed the cause. The idea came from Matt Callander, a Channel Nine employee who was battling stage four glioblastoma. His battle ended in October 2017.
Brain cancer kills roughly 1200 Australians each year. Only two in 10 who are diagnosed survive more than five years.
Last year the NRL round helped deliver more than $2 million for the Mark Hughes Foundation in a month despite the pandemic, down from more than $3 million the year before.
The charity was formed in 2014 after Hughes' diagnosis.
This week it poured more than $7 million into a University of Newcastle partnership designed to "future-proof" research into the lethal disease.
To buy a beanie or donate to support brain cancer research head to markhughesfoundation.com.au.
They are also available via Lowes and IGA stores.
