Australia

Woman battling cancer to perform national anthem at State of Origin


A New South Wales woman who is fighting stage four cancer will live out a lifelong dream tonight when she performs the national anthem at the State of Origin.

Amanda Barrass, 37, from the Hunter Valley put out a call on social media last week asking rugby league officials to let her perform at game three in Newcastle.

The post was quickly shared by thousands and within 24 hours she received a call from the National Rugby League.

“It’s been something that I’ve wanted to do ever since I was little,” she said.

“I used to sit and watch Julie Anthony sing, she was my absolute idol.

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The mother-of-two was diagnosed with stage three aggressive breast cancer in 2016 and underwent surgery and six months of treatment, but the cancer returned.

“In 2018, it sadly came back and had spread to my bones,” she said.

Oral chemotherapy is now part of her daily routine.

Fears Origin venue change put end to dream

Amanda Barrass and here family have travelled to Queensland for Origin III.(

Supplied: Amanda Barrass

)

Ms Barrass feared her dream would not come true when the State of Origin was moved from Newcastle to the Gold Coast due to COVID-19 fears.

“I did have a little bit of a cry, I must say. I was so disappointed I’d got so close and thought I’m not going to get across the line,” she said.

But hours after the venue change she received a call to say she could still perform.

So she jumped in the car with her husband Mark and sons Rhys, 13, and Evan, 12, for a family road trip to Queensland.

While she will be living out her dream, Ms Barrass said performing the anthem will also mean a lot to her family.

“A lot of my singing was when my children were little and they don’t have a lot of memories of it and sadly, as they’re getting older, they only have memories of me being unwell,” she said.

Ms Barrass is no stranger to performing in front of a crowd.

She has sung at many events in the Hunter Valley, including performing the national anthem before the Matildas clash with Chile in Newcastle in 2018.

Woman singing with crowd in the background
Amanda Barrass at the Matildas vs Chile game at McDonald Jones Stadium in 2018.(

Supplied: Amanda Barrass

)



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