Bahareh Hedayat, Political Prisoner, Reports Diagnosis of 'Uterine Cancer'

Bahareh Hedayat, a political prisoner, announced her diagnosis of uterine cancer and how her long-held dream of having a child has turned into a 'lost longing.' On Friday, March 16, she wrote on her Instagram page titled 'A Wound to Remember' about the diagnosis process and the pathology test results regarding a small issue that had appeared in November. She stated, 'They said part of the cells inside the uterus is undergoing the early stages of cancer, and the case was referred to an oncologist.' The initial diagnosis by her gynecologist in November was a 'small issue' and the necessity of 'a minor surgery,' but 'after three months,' following her transfer from prison for the surgery, the illness was no longer a minor matter. This political activist added, 'The treatment that doctors suggest is the removal of the uterus,' and that most of her friends and acquaintances say, 'It's nothing, just take it out and throw it away.' Bahareh Hedayat, mentioning that she is 'on the verge of 43 years old,' with a 'life in suspension' and 'a future mixed with three to four years of imprisonment,' cannot speak of having children, adding, 'Having a child has been my long-held dream since I was 17.' She wrote, 'Only the lost longing remains for me, which is whipping its last lash on my face and leaving its mark on my body as a wound to remember.' This political activist has reported her anticipation for the remaining test results and the upcoming second surgery, adding that her request for medical leave has been denied. Bahareh Hedayat, a political prisoner and former student activist, has been arrested and imprisoned several times due to her activities. She was arrested by government forces in Tehran during the nationwide protests in Iran on Tuesday, October 3, 2022, and transferred to Evin Prison.