While contemplating your own death may bring on feelings of fear in the best of us, for beloved actress Shannen Doherty, facing the reality of her eventual passing has provided a sense of solace.
In 2015, the Hollywood star revealed her breast cancer diagnosis to the public, followed by the devastating revelation in the subsequent year that the cancer had metastasized to her lymph nodes. Since then, the 52-year-old actress has been transparent about her health journey, regularly updating her listeners on the Let’s Be Clear podcast.
Over the years, Shannen has undergone a unilateral mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, announcing a brief respite from the disease in 2017. However, the resilient actress confronted another setback in 2020 when she disclosed that her cancer had returned, this time at Stage 4, and had spread to her brain and bones.
Despite the grim prognosis, the Beverly Hills, 90210 alum remains optimistic about spending more time with her loved ones. In January of this year, she shared news of a treatment she underwent, which successfully penetrated the blood-brain barrier.
However, in a recent podcast episode released on Monday, April 1, Shannen spoke of a decision she has made to ease the burden on her family, particularly her mother, Rosa, when the inevitable occurs.
“I’m a fighter, and I believe in science, and I think that something will come along that will keep on prolonging my life,” Shannen said during the podcast. “My priority at the moment is my mom — I know it’s going to be hard on her if I pass away before her.”
Acknowledging the emotional weight of her decision, Shannen admitted: “It feels like you’re giving up on something that was very special and important to you. But you know that it’s the right thing to do and that it’s going to give you a sense of peace and a sense of calm.”
In addition to giving away possessions, Shannen revealed her intention to sell items stored away, with the hope of raising funds for travels with her mother. “It’s just stuff. I don’t need this, it doesn’t really bring me any great joy, but what does bring me great joy is taking my mom to the places that she’s always wanted to go to,” she shared.
Throughout this bittersweet process, it’s clear that Shannen finds comfort in the opportunity to create lasting memories with her loved ones, particularly her mother.
It’s amazing to see her resilience and determination shine through as she navigates this journey. Our thoughts and best wishes go out to her.
