Kentucky University Student Battling Brain Cancer Shamed For Parking In Disabled Spot

A University of Kentucky student, who has been battling brain cancer, claimed her jeep was covered with shameful posts after she parked it in a space meant for handicap people, reports said Thursday.

Lexi Baskin, the Pharmacy School student at the university tweeted a photo of her car covered in papers shaming her for parking in the disability parking area on the campus and the photo garnered attention nationwide.

Baskin, who has been receiving radiation therapy as part of treatment for a tumor that was discovered in her brainstem, shared photos of her car on social media platforms, after which they quickly went viral.

Baskin told CBS News that doctors discovered a tumor in her brain stem last summer, which has since been removed, but she is still regularly undergoing radiation treatments, which leave her dizzy and fatigued.

Baskin wanted to make people aware that there are others who suffer from invisible illnesses too.

"Just a gentle reminder that you have no idea what is going on in other people’s lives," Baskin wrote on the “Love What Matters” Facebook page on Nov. 6. "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."

"I met with a professor and I came back out with a friend, and my car was covered in signs," Baskin told LEX18.com and added that she had parked outside the medical library on the university campus and in one of the five handicapped spots. She also said that she has valid state and campus disability parking placards.

After Baskin came out following her meeting with a professor, she saw the papers on her car, one of which featured a handicapped symbol calling her "lazy," and claimed to have seen her exit the building with her friend numerous times and said "there is nothing handicapped about either of you. Your tag must be borrowed or fake."

The note also vowed to have Baskin fined or towed for "being such a selfish, terrible person."

Baskin finished her post on Facebook on Nov. 6 by asking others to be kind, and to make people cry tears of joy, "not frustration or sadness.' She added she would pray for the person who covered her car in notes and hopes "that the darkness in their heart is replaced with unconditional love and happiness."

Baskin’s initial tweet on her account showing the papers stuck on her car, which she had shared on Oct. 26, had more than 47,000 retweets and over 108,000 favorites.

The university issued a response to the incident and said it was referred to campus police for further follow-up.

"The University of Kentucky and Transportation Services deeply regret that a student was subjected to this as there are many reasons an individual may have an ADA accessible permit that may not be readily observable," Jay Blanton, of University of Kentucky Public Relations and Marketing, said, in part, according to Lex18.com. "It’s important to be clear: this unfortunate action was that of a rogue individual unaffiliated with Transportation Services or our police department."