People Are Outraged At A Spa That Mocked A 10-Year-Old Cancer Patient And Called Her A Boy
Iliana Bellard is a 10-year-old girl who was first diagnosed with Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma, an aggressive form of cancer that attacks the lymph nodes, in early 2018. Her mother recalls that it was stage 4 cancer at the time of the diagnosis and that the doctors put the girl on palliative care as they had little hope at that time. Starting from her shoulder and going to her heart, the girl had 7 tumors spread throughout her body. Even though the prognosis seemed grim, Iliana proved to be a true fighter.
More info: Facebook
Iliana is a bright 10-year-old who’s fighting Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma, an aggressive form of cancer that attacks the lymph nodes
During her treatment, Iliana found that while stuffed animals, coloring books and board games eventually grew boring, one thing kept her entertained and distracted from the pain. Slime making became her thing and brought a smile back to her face. The girl’s family even started a fundraiser titled “Iliana’s Slimy Smiles” to raise money for “slime kits” which the girl could bring to other children going through therapy.
While Iliana is in remission, there are still some obstacles left in her path. To celebrate the girl feeling better, her mother, Eliabeth Bellard, wanted to take Illiana out for some quality mother-daughter time in the girl’s first public outing since chemo treatment, and what’s a better way to do that than getting a relaxing manicure? When the woman chose to go to “Imperial Salon and Day Spa” in Stafford, Virginia, she expected some well-deserved pampering for her daughter and herself, not to be irritated at the salon workers mistreating her daughter.
In an emotional Facebook post, Elizabeth revealed that while getting a manicure at the salon, some of the workers started making distasteful remarks about Illiana. The women kept saying that the girl recovering from cancer treatment looks like a boy. “When arriving at the salon the nail technician began to say how nasty Ilianas nails were because they were so brittle. At that point I explained that Iliana had just completed chemotherapy and that was the cause of her brittle nails. Towards the end of finishing her nails another nail tech walks up and says to the one sitting there that it looks like she is putting nails on a boy. She said Iliana looks like a boy and is going to look dumb with nails when everyone thinks she’s a boy.” Elizabeth told Bored Panda.
Elizabeth also posted a picture she snapped while it all was happening, saying that her daughter just laid her head down on the table while the work was being finished. The girl said that she felt embarrassed when the nail technician called her a boy. ” I explained to the manager again that Iliana had just finished chemo and that his staff was making fun of her. He at no point apologized but offered to draw something on Ilianas nails. Iliana declined and said she just wanted them to finish so we could leave.” the mother added.
After Beth’s Facebook post reached people’s feeds, many were outraged, calling the salon’s treatment of the little girl harsh and unbelievable. People also reached out to support Iliana and her mother which prompted the woman’s second post.
After the harsh criticism from the public, the salon’s representatives followed up with an online apology.
“We do not now, or ever support any of our employees making comments to any of our amazing clients. We value each and every one who walks into our spa. We deeply apologize that this has happened.”
There were reports that one employee was fired and other two suspended. Although the service made efforts to apologize in public, they did not send a personal apology to the family. “They have not reached out personally for an apology. They stated on their news interview that they would like to apologize face to face. We have not been contacted.” Elizabeth explained.
Here’s what people had to say about the situation
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Share on FacebookWow. Whether they knew she had done chemo or not, those remarks are incredibly inappropriate. Poor girl. She's beautiful, and just because her hair isn't long it doesn't make her any less feminine.
Exactly! Yet another reason our culture needs to stop emphasizing gender norms. It's horrible when the kid has chemo, but it is just as hurtful for ANY child to be told they aren't suitably feminine or manly enough.
Load More Replies...Why, as a mother, would you let these comments about your daughter go unchallenged? Why would you not correct them and then leave the store immediately, and follow up with the manager. Why allow your daughter to suffer like that, and say and do nothing?
I thought that too, it's unclear in the article whether or not the mother said anything at the moment of the incident. What is clear though is that she took a picture of her upset daughter and posted it on social media, and I just don't see how that makes the situation any better for the young child
Load More Replies...My friend has short hair and just tell people to f**k off when the make fun of her. No one needs that negative energy
Very unladylike response on her part -- and I approve!
Load More Replies...She took a picture of her child being humiliated and did nothing!? It is a rare day that you are actually present when someone is being rude to your child and can be there to intercede. Instead of helping her child or pointing out to someone they were making rude comments, she went home and complained online?!
I'm rather surprised that it seems as though the mother let the comments carry on though. Surely as a protective mum, you would have steamed in and said something at the very first snotty comment? I know that if anyone had said anything like that about my child, sick or not, they would have had a serious talking to, and then I would have gone straight to their manager and demanded an apology for my child in front of everyone. So why would the mother allow the treatment ladies to 'keep telling her over and over that she looks like a boy'? I'm sorry but what kind of mum are you that you are ok with sitting there letting it 'keep' happening to the point that your kid is face down on the table in shame??
I agree. Also, while mother definitely did not do anything to stop employee, she had time and will to take photo of her embarassed daughter. What kind of parent do this?
Load More Replies...So, mom sits there and complains on instagram about her child's treatment by the workers instead of standing up for her child and removing her from there immediately? Way to show your compassion mom. Money or no, get your kid out of there or stand up for her, for goodness sakes!
What the hell? I don't mind if they briefly mistook her for a boy, but the fact that they made fun of her is just plain wrong.
I really think people should mind their own business more than others. Keep your nosey nose and stupid remarks to yourself, noone needs them.
I'm a female who has a pixie cut and my friends say that they overhear people asking their friends if I'm a boy(if they don't know me/never seen me around school) or if I'm transgender, which I am not(I don't have anything against them or anything!) but someone I knew since 3rd grade(aka my 1st friend I made since I moved to a different country) ignored me and calling me "Tranny" long story short,we're aren't friends anymore
Aww bless her as I have brain cancer stage 4 and it's not a nice thing to have to go though but I hope your beautiful daughter getting throu this there are some nasty people
just because someone is differentiate does not mean to be mean to them #haters back off
Other kids saying that would at least make sense (other kids always used to ask me if I was a boy when I was little because my grandma cut off all my hair) but adults? That's ridiculous
she is a beautful child they must’ve thought she had a mirror on her head cause they must’ve been looking at their own ugly asses
So that probably would have ended in a fist fight if that were my kid... I possibly have poor impulse control. That poor mum was probably way too beyond horrified that someone would say something like that to react straight away.
Well its really hard to tell what gender your child is based on their clothes,its not an insult its just difficult depending on what your child is wearing
Mistaking her for a boy wasn't the issue. It was the treatment.
Load More Replies...Not much of an “apology from the management. Ugh You are clearly in the wrong profession.
Also what kind of a useless butt hat makes fun of little kids to elevate themselves? I'd have fired them just for being that pathetic and useless. That level of loser HAS to be viral. Ban that disease before it spreads. You need 10 extension ladders and scaffolding to tickle a snakes nut sack if you go that low.
It's besides the point, but why is beautifying yourself "pampering"? I have never understood that. "Treat yourself to a day at the spa...." Treat myself? Having a manicure is uncomfortable to me. A pedicure is okay, but they tickle, and it sometimes hurts. A facial, whatever that is....All of this is to make yourself look better. Since we spend almost no time during the day looking at ourselves, how is this pampering? Wouldn't pampering be more like a massage? And this is no criticism of this Mom and if they actually like getting manicures, that's fine. It's more of a general question that it is assume that women making themselves look better is pampering THEMSELVES. If my s/o ever suggested I go "pamper" myself at a salon, I'd leave him right then and there. It means telling me I look bad.
Because it is. It's not essentially required treatment. It's something that people do to look good, and to feel good. Having someone else do your hair or nails or whatever IS pampering. It's not a derogatory term - read your dictionary. Having your other half tell you to go pamper yourself is a nice thing - it means go and treat yourself. I'm a bit confused as to how you can be so negative about the term. "Pamper: indulge with every attention, comfort, and kindness; spoil." How is this a bad thing?
Load More Replies...The moment a parent feels the need to share such stories on social media, they are inviting and encouraging people to comment. It would have been possible for the mother to handle this far more immediately without it necessarily being an embarrassing scene to upset the child even more - although I can see why someone like you may not understand that it is possible to handle a difficult situation without it being an unpleasant shouting match.
Load More Replies...How about people not judging instead? There is no need to comment on how someone looks.
Load More Replies...Wow. Whether they knew she had done chemo or not, those remarks are incredibly inappropriate. Poor girl. She's beautiful, and just because her hair isn't long it doesn't make her any less feminine.
Exactly! Yet another reason our culture needs to stop emphasizing gender norms. It's horrible when the kid has chemo, but it is just as hurtful for ANY child to be told they aren't suitably feminine or manly enough.
Load More Replies...Why, as a mother, would you let these comments about your daughter go unchallenged? Why would you not correct them and then leave the store immediately, and follow up with the manager. Why allow your daughter to suffer like that, and say and do nothing?
I thought that too, it's unclear in the article whether or not the mother said anything at the moment of the incident. What is clear though is that she took a picture of her upset daughter and posted it on social media, and I just don't see how that makes the situation any better for the young child
Load More Replies...My friend has short hair and just tell people to f**k off when the make fun of her. No one needs that negative energy
Very unladylike response on her part -- and I approve!
Load More Replies...She took a picture of her child being humiliated and did nothing!? It is a rare day that you are actually present when someone is being rude to your child and can be there to intercede. Instead of helping her child or pointing out to someone they were making rude comments, she went home and complained online?!
I'm rather surprised that it seems as though the mother let the comments carry on though. Surely as a protective mum, you would have steamed in and said something at the very first snotty comment? I know that if anyone had said anything like that about my child, sick or not, they would have had a serious talking to, and then I would have gone straight to their manager and demanded an apology for my child in front of everyone. So why would the mother allow the treatment ladies to 'keep telling her over and over that she looks like a boy'? I'm sorry but what kind of mum are you that you are ok with sitting there letting it 'keep' happening to the point that your kid is face down on the table in shame??
I agree. Also, while mother definitely did not do anything to stop employee, she had time and will to take photo of her embarassed daughter. What kind of parent do this?
Load More Replies...So, mom sits there and complains on instagram about her child's treatment by the workers instead of standing up for her child and removing her from there immediately? Way to show your compassion mom. Money or no, get your kid out of there or stand up for her, for goodness sakes!
What the hell? I don't mind if they briefly mistook her for a boy, but the fact that they made fun of her is just plain wrong.
I really think people should mind their own business more than others. Keep your nosey nose and stupid remarks to yourself, noone needs them.
I'm a female who has a pixie cut and my friends say that they overhear people asking their friends if I'm a boy(if they don't know me/never seen me around school) or if I'm transgender, which I am not(I don't have anything against them or anything!) but someone I knew since 3rd grade(aka my 1st friend I made since I moved to a different country) ignored me and calling me "Tranny" long story short,we're aren't friends anymore
Aww bless her as I have brain cancer stage 4 and it's not a nice thing to have to go though but I hope your beautiful daughter getting throu this there are some nasty people
just because someone is differentiate does not mean to be mean to them #haters back off
Other kids saying that would at least make sense (other kids always used to ask me if I was a boy when I was little because my grandma cut off all my hair) but adults? That's ridiculous
she is a beautful child they must’ve thought she had a mirror on her head cause they must’ve been looking at their own ugly asses
So that probably would have ended in a fist fight if that were my kid... I possibly have poor impulse control. That poor mum was probably way too beyond horrified that someone would say something like that to react straight away.
Well its really hard to tell what gender your child is based on their clothes,its not an insult its just difficult depending on what your child is wearing
Mistaking her for a boy wasn't the issue. It was the treatment.
Load More Replies...Not much of an “apology from the management. Ugh You are clearly in the wrong profession.
Also what kind of a useless butt hat makes fun of little kids to elevate themselves? I'd have fired them just for being that pathetic and useless. That level of loser HAS to be viral. Ban that disease before it spreads. You need 10 extension ladders and scaffolding to tickle a snakes nut sack if you go that low.
It's besides the point, but why is beautifying yourself "pampering"? I have never understood that. "Treat yourself to a day at the spa...." Treat myself? Having a manicure is uncomfortable to me. A pedicure is okay, but they tickle, and it sometimes hurts. A facial, whatever that is....All of this is to make yourself look better. Since we spend almost no time during the day looking at ourselves, how is this pampering? Wouldn't pampering be more like a massage? And this is no criticism of this Mom and if they actually like getting manicures, that's fine. It's more of a general question that it is assume that women making themselves look better is pampering THEMSELVES. If my s/o ever suggested I go "pamper" myself at a salon, I'd leave him right then and there. It means telling me I look bad.
Because it is. It's not essentially required treatment. It's something that people do to look good, and to feel good. Having someone else do your hair or nails or whatever IS pampering. It's not a derogatory term - read your dictionary. Having your other half tell you to go pamper yourself is a nice thing - it means go and treat yourself. I'm a bit confused as to how you can be so negative about the term. "Pamper: indulge with every attention, comfort, and kindness; spoil." How is this a bad thing?
Load More Replies...The moment a parent feels the need to share such stories on social media, they are inviting and encouraging people to comment. It would have been possible for the mother to handle this far more immediately without it necessarily being an embarrassing scene to upset the child even more - although I can see why someone like you may not understand that it is possible to handle a difficult situation without it being an unpleasant shouting match.
Load More Replies...How about people not judging instead? There is no need to comment on how someone looks.
Load More Replies...
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