Mother battling breast cancer claims she was 'violated' by airport security

Video shows a security agent grabbing Denise Albert's buttocks and groin. Photo / Facebook

"I have never been so humiliated or felt more violated in my life."

Mother-of-two Denise Albert, who is currently undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer, was flying from Los Angeles to New York when she says airport security crossed the line.

She carries medical cream in her bag to treat infections associated with her treatment, and has a metal port in her chest following a lumpectomy.

The 41-year-old obliged when asked to take her shoes off, telling officers she had to sit down as she couldn't risk touching the floor with open sores on her feet. They allowed it, but told her they'd have to pat her down - putting pressure on her body from head to toe.

At that point, Ms Albert - a TV personality - became upset because she wears a wig. She took it off, even though she never goes out in public without it.

Things went downhill fast.

Video of the incident, posted on Facebook, shows a female agent touching Ms Albert's buttocks and groin, patting her legs down all the way to the ankle.

*********UPDATE**********August 16, 2017********* To those of you who remember this...Please take a look at this. I worked with the TSA to hopefully turn my horrific experience into something positive....take a look here: http://www.themoms.com/tsa-cares/ *********************************************************** I have never been so humiliated or felt more violated in my life. I went through the scanning machine at the airport without incident. I had already told them about my metal port and my medical cream which I removed from my bag for them to see and test as I have done on prior flights. I don't know what was different this time but TSA agents aggressively attempted to do a body cavity search in public. (Also I had already removed my wig in public because the search they wanted to do would have messed it up and taken it off). The only way I was allowed to proceed was when a supervisor was kind enough to have more compassion and possibly think the 2 agents went too far and took me into a private room for a regular soft pat down. Today the 2 TSA agents in my video went too far and even threatened to call police. I hope no one ever experiences this. ************************UPDATE**************************** Monday Dec 5th: I was in such shock last night that I didn't include all of the details. Thank you all for your love, your personal stories and your support. I truly hope this doesn't happen to anyone else! I have never been so humiliated or felt more violated in my life. I went through the scanning machine at the airport without incident. I had already told them about my metal port and my medical cream which I removed from my bag for them to see and test as I have done on prior flights. I don't know what was different this time but TSA agents aggressively attempted to do a body cavity search in public. I was TSE precheck and once through the scanner they asked me to take off my shoes. I explained I didn't have socks on and that my cream is for an infection from my current treatment, including on my feet. So if they wanted to put my shoes through x-ray, I would have to sit down because I would not put my bare feet on the floor. They allowed that. They then started to tell me they would apply pressure from head to toe and I got very upset because I wear a wig. I didn't want them to touch it, move it, or ruin it. So I ripped it off for them to pat my head without damaging my wig (that I paid for and insurance didn't cover!) I don't ever go out in public without it. I have shown pictures on social media as I feel it empowers others but I'm not comfortable in public (I have taken it off at 2 breast cancer related work events for a second to show other cancer survivors and those in it now!) They also put my shoes through and then wouldn't allow me to put them back on until after the full body search. After at least 20 minutes of sitting there because they were debating how to proceed, I told them my feet were freezing. Also a side effect from chemo. They refused to help me. The woman reached behind me and forceable and aggressively put her hands down my jeans in the back. At some point they offered me a room but wouldn't let me put my boots on to walk there, which I can't do barefoot especially because of my open sores and rashes from my treatment on my feet. When I kept asking why they needed to do all of this, they kept saying because I wanted to bring medical cream on the plane. (They NEVER said there was any reason due to my scan so that made no sense!) On the video you see the woman shove her hand up my crotch and then try to go down my shirt. That's when I said (again) I have a medical port and had a lumpecomy. Many of you have remarked about how calm I was. I have to admit, after the video ends (though I do have it on video), I lifted up my shirt. Rather then have them touch my breasts and port "with pressure" as the TSA agent stated. That's when they said they were calling law enforcement and I asked them to please do so. Finally, a supervisor arrived. The only way I was allowed to proceed was when the supervisor was kind enough to have more compassion and possibly think the 2 agents went too far and took me into a private room for a regular soft pat down. After that, it still didn't end. Even though all of my bags when through x-rays without incident as well, they opened my bags, removed everything and another TSA agent joked about all of the eyelashes I had. I told her, it's because I don't have real ones from my cancer treatment. I would have thought at that point, the humiliation would have ended. The 2 TSA agents in my video went too far. I hope no one ever experiences this. I should also point out that according to the TSA website, what these agents did was improper procedure - they are not allowed to touch skin and should be gentle over clothing (contradiction to what you hear on video). I should NOT have been required to remove shoes because of my medical condition and they were supposed to ask if I have a tender area and didn't and didn't listen when I told them I did. Luckily, Melissa Musen Gerstein and I had a wonderful flight on American Airlines with an incredible crew and 1 very special flight attendant, Latane, who made everything better for the night. ****UPDATE**** Please watch ABC7NY NOW! ******UPDATE**** UPDATE Tuesday Dec 6 Last nights ABC news piece by Bill Ritter AND Joe Torres http://abc7ny.com/news/media-personality-battling-breast-cancer-posts-humiliating-tsa-search/1641467/#videoplayer *****UPDATE****** Tuesday Dec 6th 3:55pm The TSA just called. Kimberly Walton - Assistant Administrator for Civil Rights and Liberty, Ombudsman and Traveler Engagement. Here are some notes from my conversation: Apologizing for experience at this point LAX investigation into what happened very aggressively train on how to screen medical / disabilities this was not at their expectations a lot of disappointment we didn't get it right they are going to refresh training at LAX 3000 employees airport conducting investigation I'm very pleased with this. I will also be on FOX 5 / Fox5NY.com with Stacey Delicate at 5:30 and PIX 11 with Dan Marino at 5! 4/27 UPDATE - PLEASE SEE MY POST FROM TODAY! WOULD LOVE ALL OF YOU TO JOIN THE #DanceForBreastCancerChallenge

Posted by Denise Albert on Sunday, 4 December 2016

"They refused to help me. The woman reached behind me and forcibly and aggressively put her hands down my jeans in the back. At some point they offered me a room but wouldn't let me put my boots on to walk there, which I can't do barefoot especially because of my open sores and rashes from my treatment on my feet," she said.

"When I kept asking why they needed to do all of this, they kept saying because I wanted to bring medical cream on the plane."

However, it became too much when the woman tried to touch Ms Albert's chest.

According to the Transport Safety Administration (TSA) website, officers should be gentle, and ask whether the passenger has any tender areas. However, Ms Albert claims they didn't listen when she said her chest was sore.

"You cannot touch me there. You can't touch me there, sorry," she told the agent.

"What's the issue?" a male agent intervened.

"I have breast cancer. I had a lumpectomy. I have a port in me. You can't touch me there."

"So, that's part of the procedure. We have to clear everything. Like she was explaining, she'll use the back of her hands. She's going to use as much pressure as she needs to clear the area. That's part of this. We have to clear the area," he replied.

At that point, the video ends.

Ms Albert claims at that point she chose to lift up her shirt - in public - so they could see her breasts and port, and the agents responded by calling the police.

Eventually, a supervisor arrived and took her to a private room for a soft pat down.

"After that, it still didn't end. Even though all of my bags went through X-rays without incident as well, they opened my bags, removed everything and another TSA agent joked about all of the eyelashes I had," she said.

"I told her, it's because I don't have real ones from my cancer treatment. I would have thought at that point, the humiliation would have ended."

In a statement to New York news outlet Pix11, where Ms Albert regularly appears as a guest, authorities said they are investigating the incident.

"TSA is currently looking into the specific details as to what occurred during the screening process to ensure our security protocols were followed. We regret any distress the security screening process may have caused the passenger. We will work with the passenger directly to address her concerns."

In an update to her original Facebook post, Ms Albert confirmed they rang her to apologise for her experience, and tell her they will refresh training for employees on how to screen people with medical issues and disabilities.

"I hope no-one ever experiences this," she wrote.