Wollongong mother of four Toula Spears has spent three months battling blood cancer but she didn’t expect to face a fight when she fronted up to Unanderra motor registry to renew her driver’s licence.
Mrs Spears was wearing a scarf to hide the hair loss caused by four rounds of chemotherapy, and said she was “humiliated” when a staff member repeatedly told her to take the head covering off for the photo.
It was only when her husband Kane stepped in - suggesting that a headscarf would be allowed on religious grounds, so why not medical - that the staff member and her supervisor reluctantly allowed her to keep the scarf, and her self-esteem, intact.
However, Mrs Spears said she was shaken by the experience last Tuesday, particularly as she had phoned Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) before the visit and had been assured she could cover her head.
“I don’t want to make a fuss but I also don’t want other people who are sick to have to go through what I went through,” she said.
“I was diagnosed with stage four lymphoma - a blood cancer - in May. The cancer’s in my bone marrow, my liver and spleen; there’s nine tumours in my diaphragm, three in my chest and one on my windpipe.
“Some days, my four kids deal with it, others, they don’t; my husband’s a bit of a mess but I’m trying to stay strong.
“But it’s draining and some days it’s really tough, and I just didn’t need to deal with this too.”
Mrs Spears said though she knew cancer treatment would cause her to lose her hair, it still came as a shock and it’s something she feels self-conscious about.
“You never think it would affect you that much but when my hair started falling out, then I lost my eyebrows, it just took a real emotional toll,” she said.
“Because I’d talked to someone at the RMS who said it would be fine to wear a scarf for the licence photo as long as my face was uncovered, then I thought there would be no problem.
“But when the staff member kept telling me I had to take it off even after I’d told her the reasons why I was wearing it, it became embarrassing as there were so many people in the room.
“If I’d been there on my own, I would have felt bullied into taking it off, but my husband wouldn’t have it.”
Rattled after the incident, Mrs Spears rang the RMS to complain and she was then contacted by a Unanderra motor registry representative who offered an apology.
A spokesman for the motor registry network told the Mercury the incident had been looked into, and staff “reminded” about the regulations about headwear in photos.
“We apologise to the customer and would be happy for her to have the photo retaken if she wishes,” the spokesman said.
“There is discretion to allow a customer to be photographed in headwear if it is for medical reasons as long as they still meet identification criteria.
“The Unanderra motor registry acting manager has already spoken to the customer following her visit and has apologised.
“In this case, the headwear did not impede the face and the photo was taken with the scarf on.
“Staff at the motor registry will be reminded of the policy and will continue to strive to treat all customers with respect.”
A Cancer Council NSW Southern NSW spokeswoman urged organisations to show compassion.
“Cancer Council knows that going through cancer treatment can be a difficult time for patients, and they can often feel vulnerable,” she said.
“We would encourage businesses to handle each individual case with compassion, and ensure that their staff know how to manage sensitive situations which may arise around chemotherapy patients with headwear.”
Anyone with questions can call Cancer Council’s information and support line on 13112.