Going Chrome Dome for the holidays

Commanding Officer of Joint Personnel Support Unit Pacific, Lieutenant-Commander Judith Harlock (left) is joined by Petty Officer Second Class Fiona Borland after LCdr Harlock shaved her head last December as part of Operation Chrome Dome. The fundraiser for cancer research through the National Defence Workplace Charitable Campaign (NDWCC) is back again this year with LCdr Harlock agreeing to go bald if $10,000 can be raised prior to Dec. 14. Photo by JPSU Pacific/file

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~

The Commanding Officer of Joint Personnel Support Unit (JPSU) Pacific Region is vowing to go ‘cue-ball bald’ again as the highly popular cancer fundraiser Operation Chrome Dome returns.

The initial head-shaving was a show of support and solidarity for her long-time co-worker and friend Petty Officer Second Class Fiona Borland who hatched the idea after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016.

“I volunteered to be shaved again as a celebration of where Fiona is in her journey,” says LCdr Harlock.

Together they raised $5,300 through pledges and other donations as part of the National Defence Workplace Charitable Campaign (NDWCC).

The two have been co-workers and friends since first working together at the Reserve Unit HMCS Malahat more than 20 years ago. LCdr Harlock says Fiona’s experience is a great opportunity to remind people about the life-or-death benefits of early diagnosis.

“There is nothing like a repeat [shaving] to reiterate the simple message to everyone ‘just get checked’ and Fiona’s positive outcome speaks volumes to that,” she says.

Following chemotherapy and surgery, in August PO2 Borland was informed by her doctor that she was cancer free. Despite her recent life-affirming diagnosis, the two women haven’t given up on the Chrome Dome cause and have raised the fundraising bar even higher this year.

LCdr Harlock will once again be subjected to having her hair removed by a set of barber clippers on Dec. 14, but only if $10,000 can be raised.

“I admit last year I did get a little nervous on the morning of the shave-off; however, I also fully understood what this would do to promote the issue of awareness,” says LCdr Harlock. “My friends and family were with me and 100 percent supportive and happy that I was participating.”

She hasn’t let her hair grow out too much since last year’s shaving. She has intentionally kept it short as a show of support for PO2 Borland while she underwent cancer treatment.

Proceeds from this year’s fundraiser will again go to the BC Cancer Agency, and the Gord Downie Fund for Brain Cancer Research.

The Canadian rocker was diagnosed with terminal Glioblastoma [brain cancer] in May 2016 and died Oct. 17, 2017, at the age of 53. PO2 Borland, 50, says watching the broadcast of the late Tragically Hip frontman’s farewell concert on Aug. 20 really struck a chord with her because the moment came only days after PO2 Borland learned she was cancer free. 

“To see him [Downie] up on stage, watching him do something that he loves doing, but knowing that it was his last time was such a surreal moment for me,” says PO2 Borland. “I connected instantly to what he must be feeling and I wanted to pay tribute to that in the fundraiser.”

She says she hopes Downie’s experience will resonate with others and generate more funds for Chrome Dome cause and the NDWCC itself.

To find out more about Operation Chrome Dome and how you can help out visit their fundraising webpage:
Gofundme.com/OperationChromeDome2