www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday September 12, 2007 - 17 Living Oakville Beaver LIVING EDITOR: ANGELA BLACKBURN By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Phone: 905-845-3824, ext. 248 Fax: 905-337-5567 e-mail: angela@oakvillebeaver.com Halton paramedics handle crisis with care Chic -- and "You've got a great shaped head" -- was what Oakville native Jennifer McNicol heard Monday as five, six-inch-plus ponytails were cut off her head. The symbolic first cut was delivered by Christine Barber, 46, who is McNicol's friend and boss at Halton Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Barber herself, a paramedic and manager of support services for Halton EMS, is seeing the light at the end of the tunnel after being diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year -- and is herself without hair. "My friends are using my head as a beacon for a good cause," said Barber minutes before Oakville native Christine Tonkens picked up scissors and shaver and went to work on McNicol at Hair, Body & Soul on Jones Street. McNicol, 40, was using her head for a good cause, too. Her head shaving was done to promote this Friday's fundraiser at Halton Region EMS. That's where 30 of the region's 120 paramedics will also have their heads shaved in support of Barber and to raise funds in her name for the Terry Fox Foundation. The event, which runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Halton Region EMS Headquarters 1179 Bronte Rd., is open to the public. There will be a barbecue, face painting for kids and music. Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr, a former hockey player, will don goalie equipment and let people take their best shot at him. Halton Region's new CAO and other department heads will brave the dunk tank. It was earlier this year that Barber, a native of Richmond Hill who has worked in Halton since 2000, discovered a lump in her underarm. According to Barber, 2007 was to be her lucky year. Her birthday is July PHOTOS BY DEREK WOOLLAM / SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER 7 so it was her 07/07/07 year. She'd RALLY CALL: Jennifer McNicol has her head shaved in support of friend and boss Christine Barber. See Meeting page 18