WELLINGTON NORTH – Local residents will soon have a good excuse to stay in their pyjamas all day and feel good about it, too.
The second annual “Jammie Day for Hayden” on Oct. 20, in support of Hayden’s Hope Foundation, is approaching.
Hayden Foulon of London, died at the age 7 on Oct. 20, 2019, after a multi-year battle with leukemia.
Hayden’s mother Lindsay Foulon, who was born and raised in Mount Forest, is asking supporters to don their comfy PJs wherever they are—school, work or home—and chip in a couple dollars to support families navigating childhood cancer.
The inaugural pyjama day was held last fall—an “impromptu event,” Foulon said, which ended up raising $10,000.
Schools, businesses and communities across southwestern Ontario came together, chipping in to make what Foulon called Hayden’s first and difficult “angelversary” a bit easier.
“Having it all come together was just perfect,” she recounted to the Community News recently.
Donations to Hayden’s Hope Foundation this year will go to creating mental health and financial supports for families and an annual donation to the Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario’s cancer research.
“I went through awful battles with mental health and I don’t want to see other parents having to suffer,” Foulon said of the motivation to create a support program. “We’re doing good things in her name and that’s what’s important to me.”
Hayden was diagnosed at just 22 months old and had multiple relapses through her fight, involving a stem cell transplant and Car-T cell therapy.
“She never questioned why this happened to her; just put on her superhero cape and fought as long and hard as she could. It was a six-year cancer battle, and although she had leukemia, she never let it define her. We miss her immensely,” Foulon previously told the Community News.
Hayden spent most of her life wearing pyjamas in hospital and Foulon wants the day to honour her in that way.
“There are still kids in the hospital in their pyjamas every day fighting for their lives,” she remarked.
“I needed a way to keep her in my every day and this was a way for me to that … it just felt like I was keeping her alive within me.”
Foulon said to stay tuned to the foundation, which is planning a “big walk” from Owen Sound to London to raise awareness about pediatric cancer.
Participants can make a donation on the foundation website and share photos on social media. To make a donation visit haydenshopefoundation.com.
