Woman's Life-Saving Surgery Is Cancelled Last Minute After Requesting All-Female Care Due To Sexual Assault Trauma And Reporting Male Staffer In A Wig Entering Her Room

It's becoming increasingly harder to find same-sex spaces for women that don't allow men in, even if they're men who call themselves trans women. A woman named Teresa selected the private facility Princess Grace Hospital to administer a life-saving colorectal surgery she needed. The hospital specializes in women's healthcare and she chose to have the procedure there specifically because she didn't want to be in a mixed-sex space. Sadly, she was denied the surgery that she and the doctors were planning for—all because she expressed discomfort about an incident in which a man wearing a wig and lipstick came into her room unannounced.

Woman's Life-Saving Surgery Is Cancelled Last Minute After She Requests All-Female Care Due to Sexual Assault Trauma

Teresa is a survivor of sexual assault, so it was important to her to be cared for by women when she was opting in for such a complex surgery that would leave her extremely vulnerable. She asked for a single-sex room and bathroom and made it clear that she wouldn't answer any questions on intake forms about "gender identity." The scheduled surgery involved two leading surgeons and their staff, two surgery suites, a robot, a bed in the ICU, and a patient bed for seven nights. Teresa was at the hospital for a pre-operation assessment on October 6 that included intimate procedures. While she was there, a male staffer entered her room unannounced, looked at her, and made eye contact. He was wearing a blonde wig and visible makeup. He left the room but Teresa was disturbed and upset by the visit considering the fact that she specifically requested an all-female staff to care for her.

Teresa wondered if this was an intentional visit and she was being targeted due to her request. She felt scared and vulnerable so she reported the incident as a "patient dignity breach." She asked again that the nursing staff caring for her would only be women—not including trans women.

After she finished the pre-op procedures and left the hospital, she went home for three days to prepare for the operation, as she was originally instructed by doctors. She waited for the pre-op medication that was supposed to be couriered to her but it never arrived. She became concerned and called the hospital. They informed her that the whole surgery had been canceled but didn't give a reason why.

Teresa was emailed by the CEO of Princess Grace Hospital, Maxine Estop Green, one business day before the surgery, who said that the procedure was cancelled because their beliefs don't align.

"We do not share your beliefs and are not able to adhere to your requests and we have therefore decided we will not proceed with your surgery," the letter said. "We have shared our decision with Professor Fiaz and recommend you make alternative arrangements."

Green also said that they are "committed to protecting our staff from an unacceptable distress" and they believe that "the cornerstone of good patient care is based on mutual respect and trust."

Teresa responded to Green and reminded her that the decision was "breaching the Code under the heading of Patients' Rights" by denying her Patient Dignity complaint and request for all-female care. The CEO responded again and said they "have a responsibility to protect our staff from discrimination and harassment."

The only option left for Teresa is open surgery, which the surgeon advised against. Four days after Teresa was supposed to receive the surgery, she ended up in the emergency room because her condition deteriorated and she was in extreme pain. She has lost a lot of weight and now may be too weak to have open surgery.

Her devastating story is being shared on social media and by the Daily Mail but Teresa still has not received the care she needs—and her health is declining rapidly.