The Jim Bashaw Cancer & Catastrophic Illness Fund is increasing its grant amount from $500 to $650, thanks to generous local supporters and successful community fundraising events.
The boost in funding provides even more support to community members facing serious medical challenges in Franklin and Grand Isle Counties.
The fund was created over 25 years ago in memory of Jim Bashaw, a beloved teacher, guidance counselor, and basketball coach at Bellows Free Academy St. Albans. People remember his humor, kindness, and the way he always lifted others’ spirits.
When Jim was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2000, the community came together to support him and his family.
His wife, Shari Bashaw, remembers her running group organizing the first Run for Jim, which brought out 750 people. She was deeply grateful for the support they received before he passed away the following August.
“If you don’t have hope, then what do you have?” she says.
Supporting the Community
After he died, Shari wanted to turn the kindness her family received into ongoing support for others going through a medical crisis.
Her own experience taught her how hard it can be, both emotionally and financially, when someone you love gets a serious medical diagnosis.
“Even though you have good insurance, you’re losing two incomes, and it can be devastating,” she says. “I really wanted to give back, especially after so many community members came out to support Jim.”
Most people who apply to the fund are dealing with cancer, especially cancers of the head, neck, throat, breast, and lungs. The fund also helps people who have suffered a serious injury and are unable to work.
Over the years, the Jim Bashaw Fund has helped hundreds of people in the community. Below are some examples of the fund’s impact:
- Since the fund’s founding in 2000, it has awarded over $910,000 in total assistance and distributed nearly 2,000 grants.
- The fund distributed $49,000 in financial assistance in 2025, supporting 98 local community members.
Northwestern Medical Center (NMC) manages the fund and provides financial help to people in Franklin and Grand Isle Counties dealing with cancer or other catastrophic injuries or illnesses. The fund helps pay for things like travel, household bills, medication, and respite care.
Every dollar raised goes straight to families, since NMC covers all administrative costs.
The Fund is well supported by the community, who have consistently donated to help keep it sustainable.
- The BFA vs MVU Powder Puff game is one of the largest fundraisers, and in 2025 those schools raised $18,000 for the Bashaw Fund.
- The annual Run/Walk for Jim is another one of the ongoing fundraisers with a big impact. In 2025 event raised $17,000.
- Other schools and businesses around the region host “pink” events, too, like MVU’s Pink the Rink and BFA’s breast cancer awareness volleyball game.
Nucar Ford St. Albans also supports the fund with its annual Nucar Cares campaign every October during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Private donations help, too.
“The Bashaw Fund is local, and there’s no overhead,” Shari says. “Every single penny that’s raised goes right to people in need.”
A Spirit of Inclusion
Dan Marlow, the athletic director at Bellows Free Academy St. Albans, says Jim Bashaw made everyone feel noticed and valued.
“He made everybody feel like they were his best friend, regardless of how long he knew you. And that was a gift that he had, and a gift he shared with all of us,” Marlow says.
Sometimes, the Run for Jim is dedicated to others in the community who have experienced loss. In 2026, the race honored Mike Miller, who died from cancer the year before.
“We’re talking about making it a tradition to dedicate the race in memory of someone each year,” Shari says. “It just makes it that much more meaningful for everyone involved.”
The Powder Puff game, which also raises money for Camp Ta-Kum-Ta, shows Bashaw’s inclusive spirit, too.
“Anyone can play in the Powder Puff. Jim’s message was always to embrace everybody. So that’s why this game is so special because that’s exactly what it does,” Marlow says.
Math teacher Jennifer Parent, who helps organize the Powder Puff game, says the event’s greatest strength is how it brings the community together.
“We remind the teams that they may never know exactly who they’ve helped,” Parent says. “But the event is bigger than any one person, and that’s what makes it so powerful.”
For student Maddie Messier, the Bashaw Fund and events like the Powder Puff teach students about teamwork and community.
“We’ve had family members pass away from cancer, and to be able to honor them by playing in the Powder Puff and helping to contribute to the Bashaw Fund gives us a sense of how to make a difference,” Messier says.
Shari says the spirit of community and compassion keeps the Bashaw Fund going strong year after year.
“I don’t want anyone to forget Jim,” she says. “If we can give people a little hope and take a little of the stress off, that’s what matters. And that’s what Jim would have wanted.”
Find out more about the Jim Bashaw Cancer & Catastrophic Illness Fund
