In an episode of her podcast “Let’s Be Clear,” published on June 23, the actress who brought Brenda Walsh from “Beverly Hills, 90210” to life gave listeners a difficult update about her health: she would be resuming chemotherapy treatment. Still, she offered a bit of positivity even amidst stage IV cancer.
“… for the first time in a few months, I feel hopeful because there are so many more protocols now,” she said. “Before I was hopeful, but I was still preparing myself. Now I’m like, ‘Oh, I don’t need to be prepared, I need to go on vacation. I need to get back to boating and exploring places!’”
She ended the episode by saying, “I can say I’m not going anywhere now.”
Shannen Doherty passed away on Sunday at the age of 53. An actress who emerged from what TV Guide dubbed in the 90s as the era of the “youthquake” on television. She had a reputation for being outspoken on sets at a time when any self-advocacy from a young woman resulted in her being labeled as “difficult.” But Doherty’s determination ultimately proved useful in the role she took on in recent years: a strong voice advocating for the cancer community.
Doherty was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, undergoing mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. She went into remission in 2017, but in February 2020 announced that she had stage 4 breast cancer.
She launched the podcast “Let’s Be Clear” in December 2023, about six months after announcing that cancer had spread to her brain. In some instances, the platform served as a space to reflect on her career and memorable roles. Other episodes focused on her treatment and prognosis during informative conversations with members of her medical team. Doherty discussed her surgeries, medications, and tough decisions along the way.
In an episode with her oncologist, Dr. Piro, Doherty encouraged listeners to advocate for themselves.
“Most of the time, many patients feel they don’t have the right to ask for a better doctor or to switch doctors, or they’re afraid that their insurance won’t cover a new doctor or feel they can’t change doctors,” she said.
The quality of life was Doherty’s focus in her final months.
“I’m not someone who likes to give up easily,” she said in June. “I just don’t want my illness to last that long.”
In an interview with The New York Post, her doctor shared that she loved life and was not ready to leave it.
Source: CNN and The New York Times