Shannen Doherty shares photos of her life with stage 4 breast cancer
Shannen Doherty shared photos of "what cancer looks like," hoping to spread awareness about breast cancer and encourage people to have themselves checked regularly.
The Beverly Hills, 90210 star opened up about her illness, which returned early last year, and has been public about the process, even sharing photos of her with nosebleed and bald head.
"I'd like to share more of my own personal journey from my first diagnosis to my second. Is it all pretty? NO but it’s truthful and my hope in sharing is that we all become more educated," she wrote. "I hope I encourage people to get mammograms, to get regular checkups, to cut thru the fear and face whatever might be in front of you."
The 50-year-old actress shared that she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, and had a mastectomy, chemo, and radiation as part of her treatments.
"I had many nose bleeds from the chemo. Not sure if any of you experienced this. I also was beyond tired," she continued.
In another post, the actress also shared her emotional experience with hair loss, saying she used a cold cap in the hopes of saving her hair. Unfortunately, it didn't work.
"It was a battle on its own. I loved my hair. It had defined me to a certain extent and provided me with a security blanket of sorts," she wrote about the decision to shave her hair.
But the Charmed actress shared that she found humor in the little things, including wearing "funny pajamas" like the one on the second photo of her post.
"I cheered myself up by putting on funny pajamas that my friend Kristy gave me. Did they actually cheer me up? Yes!! Lol. I looked ridiculous and in that ridiculousness, I was able to laugh at myself. Finding humor helped get me thru what seemed impossible. I hope we all find humor in the impossible," she said.
Doherty has always been open about her long battle with breast cancer. After two years from her diagnosis, she had gone into remission. But in February 2020, the actress announced that her illness had returned as stage four breast cancer.
She still plans to live a fulfilling life, hoping to prove that people with cancer are still able to work. Doherty has three movies up for release this year: Dying To Belong, List of a Lifetime, and The Fortress.
"It’s hard to wrap up your affairs when you feel like you’re going to live another 10 or 15 years," she told ELLE.
"It’s like anybody with stage 4 faces this sort of thing, where others want to put you out to pasture," Doherty added. "I’m not ready for pasture. I’ve got a lot of life in me."