Cancer Patient Publicly Shamed For Handicap Parking Inspires Everyone With Response.

lexi baskin

Handicap placards are available for many debilitating diseases, but not all of those conditions have a visual component. Someone who suffered a traumatic brain injury, for example, won’t typically carry a portable oxygen tank out of their car, but could still suffer from potentially life-threatening seizures.

And someone at high risk of a heart attack may look fine physically, but that’s only because their stents, pacemakers, and other devices aren’t visible from the outside. These and other patients with “invisible”injuries or disabilities often come under fire from complete strangers when they use disabled parking spaces, and it’s disheartening, to say the least.


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Last week, Lexi Baskin, a pharmacy technician at the University of Kentucky, was targeted by a stranger who obviously had no idea that she’s battling cancer. Her radiation treatments are almost complete and while the coast looks clear so far, the treatments leave her extremely tired.

Last month, she parked in a handicapped parking space outside of the university’s medical library. When she returned, she found her car littered with mean-spirited fliers and a long note chastising her seemingly unethical choice.


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Soon after, she posted about the incident on Facebook, providing some information about her condition in hopes of raising awareness in others.

“Just a gentle reminder that you have no idea what is going on in other people’s lives. This is my car and I am legally allowed to park in handicap spaces due to cancer treatment and exhaustion. Just because you can’t physically observe something does not mean that a person is not feeling it.â€


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“I had a grade 2 ependymoma on my brain stem. It was removed July 28th and I started radiation 5 weeks ago today. I have about a week and a half left of treatment and my last scan came back good. I’m left with a little speech impediment but it’s improving.â€


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“Just because I look fine in the two minutes I walk from my car to the building does not mean I’m not battling cancer and undergoing radiation treatment. I am not asking for sympathy, but just awareness that everyone is fighting their own battles, whether you know it or not. Be kind to people. Make people cry tears of joy, and not frustration or sadness.â€


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“Love one another. I will choose to love this person and pray for them. I hope that the darkness in their heart is replaced with unconditional love and happiness.”

Lexi could have posted an equally angry note to the person who clearly took multiple minutes out of their day to make her feel bad, but instead, she chose to spread love, awareness, and prayer.

We could all stand to keep the saying: “You can’t understand someone until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes”in mind more often. Share if you agree the world could do with more compassion.

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