Cancer Patient Was Breast-Checked In Front Of Other
Passengers
Officials in both the Transportation Security Administration and
local security at JFK International Airport in New York are
admitting proper procedures were not followed in the case of Lori
Dorn. She went to JFK to fly on Virgin America to San Francisco
after undergoing a bilateral mastectomy in treatment for breast
cancer.
Dorn had also received medical implants called tissue expanders
in preparation for future reconstructive surgery. The implants,
according to the manufacturer, contain a metallic component which
is not compatible with MRI and "that may be detected by security
screening devices." At the checkpoint, they were, indeed detected
by the scan.
At that point, Dorn recalls in her blog, "I was asked to step
aside to have my breast area examined. I explained to the agent
that I was a breast cancer patient...was not comfortable with
having my breasts touched and that I had a card in my wallet that
explains the type of expanders, serial numbers and my
doctor’s information and asked to retrieve it. This request
was denied.
"Instead, she called over a female supervisor who told me the
exam had to take place. I was again told that I could not retrieve
the card and needed to submit to a physical exam in order to be
cleared. She then said, 'And if we don’t clear you, you
don’t fly' loud enough for other passengers to hear. And they
did. And they stared at the bald woman being yelled at by a TSA
Supervisor.
"To my further dismay, my belongings, including my computer,
were completely out of sight. I had no choice but to allow an agent
to touch my breasts in front of other passengers."
Dorn says she has since received apologies from both JFK
Security and the TSA. But the TSA hints on its own blog there's
only so much it can do. "Medical cards, whether from a physician or
TSA, do not exempt you from screening. In this case, our officers
should have allowed the passenger to present her card and been more
empathetic to her situation while completing the screening
process.
"Private screening can be requested by any passenger for any
reason and in situations such as this one, our officers should
offer it. If advanced imaging technology detects an anomaly that
cannot be cleared, secondary screening is required to ensure the
passenger does not have threat items...
"TSA has just rolled out an in-service technical training course
focused on screening prosthetics. he training should be complete
nationwide in a little over a year.
"TSA works with numerous groups including breast cancer
organizations to continuously refine and enhance our procedures to
improve the passenger experience while also ensuring the safety of
the traveling public."