Shannen Doherty, the star of “Charmed” and “Beverly Hills, 90210”, has revealed that her stage four breast cancer has spread to her bones and that she is fighting for her life. In an emotional interview with People magazine, the 52-year-old actress shared her fears, hopes, and plans for the future.
Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
Doherty was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, after finding a lump in her breast. She underwent a mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation, and announced that she was in remission in 2017. However, in 2020, she revealed that her cancer had returned and was stage four, meaning that it had spread to other parts of her body.
In June 2023, she shared on Instagram that her cancer had also spread to her brain and that she had undergone surgery to remove a tumor from her head. She also posted a video of herself receiving radiation treatment, saying that she was “petrified” of the possible outcomes.
Doherty said that she is hoping to get into clinical trials as new treatments are developed, but that she is also realistic about her prognosis. “I’m not afraid of dying, I just don’t want to die,” she said. “I fight for my life, which I deal with every day. I think I am great.”
Career and Podcast
Despite her health challenges, Doherty has continued to work as an actress, appearing in the reboot of “Beverly Hills, 90210” in 2019, and in the upcoming movie “List of a Lifetime”, which is about a woman who is diagnosed with breast cancer. Doherty said that she wanted to prove that she can still work despite her cancer and that she enjoys being on set with her friends and colleagues.
Doherty is also launching a new podcast in November, titled “Let’s Be Clear”, which she described as “a live interactive memoir”. She said that the podcast will cover topics such as her cancer journey, her divorce from her husband of 11 years, and her activism for animal rights and the environment. She said that she wants to use her platform to educate and inspire people, and to show them that she is more than her disease.
Support and Gratitude
Doherty said that she is grateful for the support and love that she has received from her fans, friends, and family, especially her mother, who has been by her side throughout her ordeal. She said that she is also thankful for her dogs, who bring her joy and comfort.
Doherty said that she is trying to live in the present and appreciate every moment that she has. She said that she has learned a lot from her cancer and that she has become more compassionate, empathetic, and resilient. She said that she is not done living and that she has a lot left to do.
“I don’t want to be remembered as somebody who was just a victim of cancer,” she said. “I want to be remembered as somebody who fought hard, who gave back, who loved, who laughed, who cried, who evolved, and who tried to make a difference in the world.”
