Many remember her as the shameless and free lady who lifted Mullah Krekar during a debate meeting in 2004. Stand-up comedian, writer and social debater, Shabana Rehman, made big headlines after the lifting stunt back then. But it became a springboard to the public, and since then Rehman has done stand-up and got very involved in the fight for freedom of expression and women’s struggle. Earlier this year, her life took an abrupt turn. She received a grim message that she had pancreatic cancer that had spread. She was probably not going to survive 2022. – It really stopped completely. I am a woman and I have my calendar. What do you do when you get a message like that, that you might not be found anymore? It was so “instant” right in the face, says an open-hearted Rehman at Lindmo this week. Shabana Rehman tells about when she received the shocking news of the cancer diagnosis. Photo: Julia Marie Naglestad In love and terminally ill Although the cancer is ravaging her body, the 46-year-old has now received a message that gives her some hope nonetheless. – It is very intense. Only after ten months does a PET scan show that it does not find a living cancer. They are analyzing what that means, but it is certainly good news that development has stopped. So we relate to that, she says. Rehman has more good days than bad. She keeps the spark of life and her motivation is surrounded by love. Because in the midst of a life crisis, Rehman has met the great love of the farmer and artist, Petter Simonsen (49). – To put it that way, the mullah promise was not planned. But at least this falling in love was not planned, she says, laughing. Last year, Rehman took part in “Farmen kendis” and there she fell in love with farm life. – I am interested in animals and animal welfare, and when I got to know this opera-singing farmer, I became curious. I had known Petter for a few months when I received the cancer diagnosis. But when I got even sicker in April, our friendship deepened. I fell in love. Rehman stopped envisioning the future, but that changed when she fell in love with Simonsen. – Recognizing someone else’s soul in the way I did with Petter gave me back the spark of life. It is so human to look ahead. You live in the past, present and future. The drive gave an honorary award Rehman is a lady who has created a lot of humor – and a lot of noise. She has also received a lot of praise and praise for her commitment as leader and founder of the foundation Født Fri. After an investigation by Imdi (Directorate of Integration and Diversity), it was decided that state aid to the foundation should be stopped. Despite many ups and downs over the years, Rehman has not given up the fight for freedom of expression. Shabana Rehman lives in the hope of surviving the cancer. Photo: Ellen Omland/news – I can’t say that we have a much freer society. It is more open and we have greater availability. But it also challenges the generations that are growing up now. They are still only human. It is important that we continue to take the floor and shape our society. Each generation must shape its struggle for freedom. Her hope with Born Free is to retire and pass on the baton. – My experience is that we live in a society that is not mature enough for the real fight for freedom. It’s time for us to be. We owe that to those who grow up. Both the humour, the satire and the wise thoughts earned her Norsk PEN’s Ossietzky Prize for 2022. – It is huge to have received such a prize. My driving force is the fight for individual freedom, and I am well aware of that prize and Norwegian and international PEN’s work. To receive such recognition is touching, as I myself have been in this fight. Shabana Rehman has been involved in the fight for freedom of expression for many years. Photo: Torstein Bøe / NTB – Expression became important. That work will continue as long as I live. Although the future is uncertain for Rehman, she lives well in hope. Because hope was the most important thing her boyfriend gave her. – Now I see hope in a completely new way. Hope is not a dream or an illusion, it is deeply connected to being human. When realism and optimism are linked in hope, you live. The doctors said that if you’re going to get well, a miracle has to happen, but every day is a miracle of love. Watch the interview with Shabana Rehman on Lindmo on Friday at 21:25 and whenever you want on news TV.
ttn-69
