Cancer Group Makes Recommendations to Avoid TSA problems
Cancer Group Makes Recommendations to Avoid TSA problems
After a recent airport security pat down left a bladder cancer survivor covered in his own urine, a cancer support group is making recommendations to travelers to avoid future problems.
Retired special education teacher and bladder cancer survivor Thomas Sawyer, 61, told msnbc.com that an aggressive pat-down by TSA officers at Detroit Metropolitan Airport left him covered in his own urine and humiliated. "Absolutely humiliated, I couldn't even speak," Sawyer said after the Nov. 7th incident while he was on his way to a wedding in Florida.
Like many bladder cancer survivors, Sawyer wears a urostomy bag which collects his urine from an opening in his abdomen called a "stoma."
"I have to wear special clothes and in order to mount the bag I have to seal a wafer to my stomach and then attach the bag," Sawyer told msnbc.com. "If the seal is broken, urine can leak all over my body and clothes."
Passing through a security scanner detected his urostomy bag and Sawyer was required to undergo a pat-down search in private. Although Sawyer tried to tell them about his medical condition, the TSA screeners "...said they didn't need to know about that." The agents then proceeded to ignore his warnings about his urostomy bag.
"Sure enough, the seal was broken and urine started dribbling down my shirt and my leg and into my pants," Sawyer told msnbc.com. Afterwards, "He told me I could go. They never apologized. They never offered to help. They acted like they hadn't seen what happened. But I know they saw it because I had a wet mark."
After Sawyer's story went public, hit the Drudge Report and gained nationwide publicity, he received an apologetic phone call from TSA chief John Pistole.
In light of this incident, the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network, a support group for bladder cancer patients and survivors, recently published a list of travel tips on it's website which included:
1 Pre-cut barriers at home.
2 Pack ostomy supplies in both carry-on and checked luggage.
3 Take extra supplies.
4 Carry a statement from your healthcare provider stating your need for ostomy supplies to show security.
5 If traveling to a foreign country, bring your ostomy information written in the appropriate language.
6 You should be treated with respect, dignity, & courtesy while going through security. You may request personal screening in a private area. [Source: bcan.org, Laura Bendetto-Rugen, RN]
The TSA has posted an entire section on their website with rules and recommendations for travelers with disabilities and medical conditions. Among their many tips and regulations, the TSA states: "If you have a disability, condition, or implant, that you would like to remain private and confidential, ask the Security Officer to please be discreet when assisting you through the screening process."
When it comes to prosthetic devices, the TSA claims their security officers will not ask travelers to remove them, however, they are allowed to see and touch them.
Sawyer said that is in his telephone call from TSA chief Pistole that he offered to train TSA personnel on what ostomy bag is and how it works. "Pistole said he just may take me up on that," Sawyer said.
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