Roller rink tells mom with cancer 'no hats allowed'

SOUTH WINDSOR, Conn. (WTNH) -- What was supposed to be a fun trip to the roller rink with her children ended up being an embarrassing experience for a South Windsor mother.

She's been undergoing chemotherapy and employees at the roller rink told her she couldn't go in with her hat on.

Janna Lombardo has been battling breast cancer for six years. She has had many ups and downs in that time, and on Columbus Day she says she was having a really good day, felt good, her kids were off from school and they wanted to go roller skating at Ron-A-Roll in Vernon.

"They said there were no hats allowed, and I said 'oh, I'm on chemo.' And I showed them was on chemo," Janna said. "They were totally unwilling, unbending to let me go in."

She was standing there in line with her 7 and 9 year old kids, stunned at what she was hearing.

"I did pull out a clump of hair and showed them, my hair was falling out, but he had no emotion. He did not care," Janna said. "I did storm out and went into my car and cried. I was so frustrated and angry that I couldn't take my kids, so we got our money back and left."

News 8 went to the rink to get some answers.

"My name is Bob Wilson with News 8 and we are doing a story on Jenna and how she wasn't allowed in with her hat on even though she was on chemotherapy?"

"No I can't make a comment and I hope that's not recording."

"It is recording and we are just looking for answers," Wilson replied. "She had chemotherapy. She had a hat on and you couldn't bend the rules for her?"

After a moment of silence, Wilson went on to ask, "is there a manager or is the owner around or somebody we could talk to?"

"I am one of the managers and the owner is the one who makes the rules, and I abide by them, and we firmly stand by our safety precautions we have in place."

The rink says their "no hat" policy is in place for safety reasons. They don't want anyone tripping over the hats, if they fall on the skating floor.

"I had a good day and I felt good, and I was able to do something with my kids," Janna said, "and they have to go and ruin it with their policy."