Chemo patients feel demeaned by banks

Chemotherapy treatment. File photo / Hawke's Bay Today

A Rotorua woman who lost her hair because of chemotherapy was asked to remove her hat and headscarf on six separate occasions in her own bank.

She says the experience was terrible and she doesn't want it to happen to anyone else.

The woman, who did not want to be identified, said that once she explained to the bank tellers why she didn't want to remove her hat, they were sympathetic, but having to explain each time had been very upsetting.

An increase in the number of robberies had led banks to come down harder on customers wearing items such as hats and hoodies. But executives have said staff should use discretion.

The woman said that before her bank, BNZ, moved premises, the staff had all known she was undergoing chemotherapy treatment and she had not been asked to take her hat off. But since the move, she had had to tell her story in each of the past six weeks.

The woman said telling her story didn't get any easier and each visit was upsetting.

The 51-year-old was diagnosed with cancer two years ago and said she decided to speak out in support of all the other people with cancer who might be in the same situation.

"I phoned Aroha [Mai, a Rotorua cancer support group] because it could be happening to other cancer patients.

"I think they [banks] are most probably doing what they practise but it's sensitive for me," she said. "I'm sure they can recognise us when we walk through the door."

Another Rotorua woman, Kiri Epapara, said she had had the same experience with other banks when she was undergoing chemotherapy last year.

"I'd been into a few banks and they asked me to take my beanie off," she said. "At the time I had little tufts everywhere.

"It's embarrassing, the thought of having to take off your beanie. For me, I just refused to take off my beanie.

"They were shocked at first but once I explained to them they were sympathetic."

Mrs Epapara said it was obvious she was undergoing chemotherapy because she had no eyebrows, and she thought bank staff should be more aware of chemotherapy patients.

"I know there are younger women in their 30s who had lovely long hair before chemo.

"If they're approached in a bank to take off their hat they're just going to break down and cry."

Rotorua Central BNZ store manager Owein Greaves apologised for the woman's experience.

- APN