Melissa Jackson with her triple crown king son Hastin. Photo by Sarah Colborne
There’s a new king in town, complete with three crowns and a fundraising quest for Kids with Cancer Foundation.
When Leichhardt mum Melissa Jackson entered her son Hastin, 3, in a baby show at Town Square Redbank Plains she did it with other children in mind.
That was October last year, and since then Hastin has hauled in 28 trophies and been crowned Baby Show Time King on three occasions.
While the silverware and snapshots continue to accumulate, it’s the sense of helping others that inspires Mrs Jackson.
“I saw the Redbank Plains show advertised on Facebook and immediately thought it would be a good way to raise money for the benefitting charity, Kids with Cancer Foundation,” she said.
“Hastin has had some success and he’s been lucky enough to make King three times – that basically means he’s the overall winner for boys.
“Everyone thinks they have a cute child and there’s always lots of cute children in the shows, but supporting the charity was my main motivator.”
Hastin’s heroics have earned him a place at the Baby Show Time national finals in Melbourne in October.
The mother and son duo will travel to the show at their own expense, once again raising much-needed funds for the foundation.
They will take on the best Australia has to offer and stick to a tried and true game plan.
“We don’t really do anything special in terms of preparation to be honest, we just try on his clothes to make sure they still fit,” Mrs Jackson laughed.
“The judges will look at what the children are wearing along with their accessories, and I suppose what you’d call overall ‘cuteness’.
“With Hastin, he wears his black tuxedo with matching red accessories and formal shoes. It seems to work for him.”
What is Kids with Cancer Foundation?
Kids with Cancer Foundation Australia is a non-profit Public Benevolent Institution that supports the families of children with cancer. The group also provides funding for cancer wards in children’s hospitals across Australia. To make a donation or for more information go here.
