Two well-known local identities are calling on Novocastrians to don the denim to raise money for children with genetic disease and birth defects.
Newcastle Knights legend Paul 'Chief' Harragon and Mollyjane Rothwell are encouraging people to head to their local Lowes store to buy a denim Jeans for Genes Day cap this month or make a donation online.
Adamstown's Mollyjane, also known as MJ, lives with an extremely rare metabolic condition called Carnitine-acylcarnitine translocase (CACT) deficiency. MJ, who is now 11, wasn't expected to live long after birth.
But she's defied the odds and last year was the ambassador for Jeans for Genes Day, raising more than $35,000 for the charity.
Harragon said times were tough for all charities at the moment, but when he was asked to support a cause that helped children like Mollyjane, he said yes straight away.
"Once you get to know the person, it could be one of your own children, it just changes everything," he said.
"She's an impressive young lady. She told me some of her story and all the cool things she's starting to do, she's a superstar.
"But underneath all that there's some serious stuff going on and that's where we can all jump in and help."
Mollyjane's mum Jess said while the doctor's didn't know what the future held for MJ, they supported Genes for Jeans to help all the other kids with genetic disease.
"Even if we can't save her life, if we can save the life of another child or stop them going through what she's been through it's worth it," Jess said. "So what she's been through won't go to waste."
Donations to Jeans for Genes Day will be matched dollar for dollar on Thursday. To support, the cause visit a Lowes store to buy a cap, or donate online at fundraise.jeansforgenes.org.au.
