Shannen Doherty, the beloved actress known for her roles in “Beverly Hills, 90210” and “Charmed,” passed away Saturday at the age of 53 after a prolonged battle with stage four breast cancer.
Doherty’s journey with cancer, which began with a diagnosis in 2015 and later spread to her bones, was marked by moments of both fear and hope, as she candidly shared on her podcast, Let’s Be Clear With Shannen Doherty. In her final episodes, recorded weeks before her death, she discussed the challenges and uncertainties of undergoing chemotherapy treatments.
“It becomes very real in an incredibly different way, because I have no idea how long I’m gonna be on the chemo for,” Doherty shared in June. “I have no idea if it’s gonna be, you know, three months or if it’s gonna be six months or if we’re gonna you know, if after three months, it’s not working, if we’re gonna change again. That’s not something that I can predict. It’s not something my doctors can predict. And it’s scary. It’s like a big wake up call.”
Despite the daunting nature of her treatments, Doherty expressed cautious optimism about recent changes in her cancer’s molecular structure, which opened up new treatment options.
“At the same time, I have to say, there is some positivity there and the positive is that because my molecular structure of my cancer cells changed recently, it means there are a lot more protocols for me to try. For the first time in a couple of months probably, I feel hopeful? Before I was hopeful but I was still getting prepared,” she explained.
The actress also shared the emotional toll of undergoing multiple chemotherapy sessions and losing her hair three times throughout her treatment.
“I feel like my life has been unknown for over a year now. Between divorce and cancer, it’s like I have no grasp on it. And I have no control… and with cancer, there really is no controlling it,” she lamented. Doherty, known for her resilience, emphasized her determination to prioritize quality of life while continuing her fight against the disease.
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“I don’t want to lose my hair. I don’t want to be sick. I want to be a normal person,” she confessed. “But my quality of life is actually being here longer. My quality of life is reaching my goals and staying with my family as long as I can and really pressing the organizations that I work very closely with on a cure and research clinics … I just don’t want my sickness to last that very long.”
In her final podcast episode, released on July 8, Doherty excitedly announced her involvement in the Charmed rewatch podcast, The House of Halliwell, alongside her friend and former costar Holly Marie Combs. It remains unclear how many episodes were recorded before her passing.
Publicist Leslie Sloane confirmed Doherty’s death in a statement to People, highlighting that she passed away surrounded by loved ones and her dog, Bowie. The family has requested privacy as they mourn the loss of their cherished daughter, sister, aunt, and friend.
