By Emma Grodzicki

Friday, August 6, is Jeans for Genes Day, a special time of the year when you can help support the Children’s Medical Research Institute (CMRI) just by wearing your jeans!

Locals now have one week to buy Jeans for Genes Day merchandise or make a donation, before donning their favourite denim for the day in support of the cause.

You can even become an official Jeans for Genes supporter, aka a ‘genie’, and promote the day at your office, factory, school, club or community centre to make a big difference to medical science.

CMRI studies the importance of genes for healthy development and genetic disorders such as cystic fibrosis, some types of epilepsy and some cancers. CMRI’s leading science lays the foundations for developing better treatments, cures and perhaps even preventions.

Jeans for Genes Day merchandise can be purchased at Gloria Jean’s Coffees, BIG W, My Place, Franklins, Jeanswest, Westpac, MYER, Harvey Norman, Best and Less, Domayne, Lowes, HCF, Babies Galore, Glue Store, Calvin Klein Jeans, The Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Factorie, Sam’s Warehouse and Go Lo.

Several local preschools are also selling merchandise, including Busy Bee Child Care Centre, Penrith Possums Preschool and A Honey Pot Haven Preschool.

“We sell the merchandise and encourage the kids to wear jeans or to wear blue. All the staff wear jeans and we try to get everyone to make a donation,” said Lesley Verdon of A Honey Pot Haven Preschool in Cranebrook.

“We get involved because we’re a childcare centre. We deal with children and we do have a couple of children with genetic problems, such as disabilities due to genetics. Anything we can do to help has to be good.

“If every childcare centre in the area got behind it and if they all could raise a couple of hundred dollars each, it would make a huge difference.”

A Honey Pot Haven will make the day extra fun by creating a blue theme throughout the preschool, with blue balloons, posters, and blue food colouring added to the children’s milk, juice, yoghurt and custard.

To find out more about Jeans for Genes Day visit www.jeansforgenes.org.au or call 1800 GENIES.