After 6+ months of BC treatment Inc a mastectomy, I was very excited to finally be going on holiday again. But the thrill was tempered when my prosthesis (not an implant) set off the security scanner at M/c airport. I looked at the screen and I could see this big red exclamation mark right over my left boob. I said to the security woman, I had a mastectomy in September, and she replied, I’ll have to take you to a private room for a search. I don’t know if it was the look of surprise on my face, but in the end she didn’t do that, she just let me go through. Apparently it’s the blob of silicone that’s the problem, but forewarned is forearmed!
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Hi @mac1sailing hope you had a nice well deserved holiday?!
I carry a letter with me when I take/wear my prosthetics in case they query them.
Sorry to hear this has happened to you. I recently went to my local support group and was shocked to hear what was setting of the scanners after breast surgery and how people were being treated.
One lady had gone flat on one side and it was announced by the security staff that she had a body part missing. Another lady was wearing her lymphoedema sleeve and it set of the scanners and she was told to remove it, even though it is a medical device. Everyone in the room was shocked to hear these stories.
Great advice to carry a letter but I think better training is needed. It might also be helpful to advise your airline of the disability and ask for help at security.
I have thought about contacting BCN to see if they provide training to airport staff in relation to this. We are all disabled under the Equality Act 2010 and should be treated accordingly. I’m sure if someone had a more obvious disability they would not be called out or treated in this way.
@Fern_BCN @LucyJ_BCN @Alice_BCN could this be raised within BCN to see if airport security staff receive training? Thanks
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Thanks naughty_boob for your response. I do understand that airport staff have a job to do, and I suppose I could have been a terrorist with a bra full of Semtex or something. It was just that I was caught off guard and it rather took the shine off my long awaited holiday at that point, so I wanted others to be aware. I would certainly have been upset if I’d been hauled off for a private search - after all, nobody wants to be held up in security, do they? So maybe I’ll try and get a letter, as suggested by @Kazaroo in another post. Thanks for your support ladies x
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I’ve just been through a scanner and it went off but it was my watch that set it off.
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