Ohio woman with stage 4 cancer wants to see father one last time; his emergency visa was denied
A woman with stage 4 colon cancer has just days to live, but the person she wants to be at her bedside is a world away.
At 33 years old Bita Bagge was living out her dream as a lead scientist at GE Aerospace who just gained U.S. citizenship, according to our news partners at WCPO.
“Bita, to me, represents the best of humanity,” said her husband, Rob Bagge.
But her life took a turn when she was diagnosed with cancer in August.
“It’s been pretty rapid. Her cancer hasn’t responded to the first line chemotherapy and even the targeted chemotherapy,” Rob said. “It’s been hell. I just want to do something for her.”
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Bita’s sister, Pegah Khorasai, was in her first weeks of classes at Arizona State University when she got the news of her sister’s diagnosis.
“There is no cure. There is no treatment for her, unfortunately,” Khorasai said.
Khorasai traveled to Cincinnati to be with her sister.
Bita sought an emergency non-immigrant U.S. visa for her parents so they could all be together in her final days.
“My mother got her visa immediately, but my father, he didn’t,” Khorasai said.
Rob said he didn’t understand why it was stalled.
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Khorasai read some of the emails she received regarding their father’s visa.
“Unfortunately, citizens of Iran are subject to additional screening for reasons of national security. Females clear much more quickly than males,” the email said in part.
As Bita enters hospital care, her only wish is to see her father one last time.
Her family hopes sharing their story can help bring awareness and expedite her father’s security clearance.
WCPO reached out to Sens. Sherrod Brown and JD Vance, as well as Congressman Greg Landsman. We are awaiting their response.
Bita’s husband set up a GoFundMe page to help with her medical expenses.
