3 days ago
Special Olympics athlete leads annual head-shaving fundraiser for cancer research
Jason Helmond getting his head shaved during his annual 'Razors of Hope' fundraiser in Barrie, Ont., on Sat., May 31, 2025.
A Special Olympics athlete from Simcoe County led his annual 'Razors of Hope' fundraiser at Barrie City Hall Saturday morning as he and others shaved their heads for cancer research.
Jason Helmond, a bronze medal winner at the 2024 Special Olympics Canada Winter Games in Calgary, was first inspired in 2016 to do a head shave for the Terry Fox Foundation.
'One year, he just came to me and said, 'Mom, I want to shave my head for Terry,'' said Michelle Helmond, Jason's mother. 'Last year we managed to raise $9,200 and change, so we're hoping that when all is said and done that we at least raise $10,000.'
Members of the Barrie Police Service and John Brassard, local MP, were among Jason's proud supporters. Saturday morning's fundraiser was also a tribute to Bill Vigars, Fox's fundraising manager and dear friend, who died this past October at the age of 78.
'It's just very exciting to see all the support and the love that I have from my community. I just want to say thank you to everyone who showed up,' said Jason Helmond. 'We all need to find a cure for cancer.'
'I couldn't be more proud of him,' added his mother. 'He has always proved everybody wrong. When we found out he had Down syndrome, a lot of people just kind of put that label on him, and he has been proving year after year that nothing is stopping him, including raising money for Terry Fox and for cancer.'
This year marks 45 years since Fox's 'Marathon of Hope,' and his foundation has since raised more than $900 million toward cancer research.
