‘Charmed’ and ‘Beverly Hills, 90210’ Alum Shannen Doherty Dies From Cancer at Age 53
Shannen Doherty has lost her battle with cancer. The actress, who was best known for roles on Beverly Hills, 90210 and Charmed, died on Saturday, July 13, her publicist confirmed.
"It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of actress Shannen Doherty," the late star's publicist shared in a statement to People. "On Saturday, July 13, she lost her battle with cancer after many years of fighting the disease. The devoted daughter, sister, aunt and friend was surrounded by her loved ones as well as her dog, Bowie. The family asks for their privacy at this time so they can grieve in peace."
Doherty first revealed she had been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015.
“Yes, I have breast cancer, and I am currently undergoing treatment,” the Tennessee native told People in August 2015. “I am continuing to eat right, exercise and stay very positive about my life. I am thankful to my family, friends and doctors for their support and, of course, my fans who have stood by me.”
The cancer eventually spread to Doherty’s lymph nodes and she underwent a mastectomy and chemotherapy. In 2017, the Heathers star announced that the disease had gone into remission. However, three years later Doherty updated fans on her condition and revealed that the cancer had returned.
“It’s going to come out in a matter of days or weeks that I am stage 4, my cancer came back and that’s why I am here,” Doherty said during an appearance on Good Morning America in February 2020. “It’s a bitter pill to swallow in a lot of ways.”
Unfortunately, three years later the actress announced that the cancer had spread to her brain.
Doherty was always open about her health battles and often opened up about the issues the cancer caused in her day-to-day life on her podcast, “Let’s Be Clear.” In April, Doherty said that she was preparing for her death by downsizing her home and letting go of a lot of her physical possessions.
“My priority at the moment is my mom. I know it’s going to be hard on her if I pass away before her,” Doherty said in the episode released on April 1. “Because it’s going to be so hard on her, I want other things to be a lot easier. I don’t want her to have a bunch of stuff to deal with. I don’t want her to have four storage units filled with furniture.”
When the Little House on the Prairie alum decided to sell her property in Tennessee where she once dreamed of running a rescue for abandoned horses, Doherty questioned if she was “giving up on life.”
“My mom was there and she was like, ‘Don’t get rid of this place. It’s fine. You don’t have to, and you keep going.’ I was like, ‘Yeah, absolutely I can.’” Doherty recalled. “But the funny thing is, a week and a half later when I went back to throw it all in a U-Haul and have my friend Zack drive it back to California, I started noticing all the things wrong with the place, and how much money it would cost me and how it was kind of a stupid idea to begin with.”