Theresa, 34 y/o single mom with brain cancer

“I’ve been battling brain cancer for almost two years now and last year I began a very rigorous regimen of chemo and radiation at Sloan Kettering. Well, one day after chemo I had to go all the way downtown to the cvs on 6th Ave because they were the only pharmacy remotely close that had a specific medication I was prescribed.

After a long train ride the nausea was really getting to me and I started to feel very ill once inside the cvs and I ran to a pharmacist to ask if there was a bathroom I could use. Without even looking up at me, she yawned and said, “No, sorry. Try a Starbucks maybe.”

I started to panic because I knew I probably had just a few minutes to seconds before I was going to get very sick in front of everyone, so I ran through the aisles and found what I assumed to be managers. while choking back tears, I asked them if there was a bathroom, maybe even an employee bathroom I could use because I was going to be very sick very shortly and without hesitation they said, “no bathroom” and they walked away! Still in shock and deeply hurt but knowing what was coming, I ran outside and became sick all over the street in front of everyone. It was humiliating and dehumanizing and I *still* have trauma from it. I will never forget that experience. “