She was surrounded by her loved ones.
Shannen Doherty, star of Beverly Hills 90210 and Charmed, passed away on Saturday, July 13 following a years-long battle with cancer. The actress was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, and the disease spread to her lymph nodes in 2016. She went into remission after undergoing treatment, but sadly, the cancer returned by 2019 — and by January 2023, it had spread to her brain.
Doherty’s longtime publicist Leslie Sloane told PEOPLE that the actress was with family in her final moments: “The devoted daughter, sister, aunt and friend was surrounded by her loved ones as well as her dog, Bowie.”
What was Shannen Doherty’s cause of death?
According to the statement, Doherty “lost her battle with cancer after many years of fighting the disease.”
Doherty was outspoken about her health struggles and was not afraid to show the harsh reality of fighting cancer, both on her social media and her podcast, Let’s Be Clear. In an October 2021 Instagram post, she posted a picture of herself undergoing chemo, where she was bald and had a nosebleed from the treatment. “I hope I encourage people to get mammograms, to get regular checkups, to cut thru [sic] the fear and face whatever might be in front of you,” she wrote.
Late last year, she told PEOPLE that she hoped that, by being open with the difficulties she was facing, she could raise funds for cancer research and inspire people with terminal illnesses to continue living their lives to the fullest: “We’re vibrant, and we have such a different outlook on life. We are people who want to work and embrace life and keep moving forward,” she said.
In a June 2024 episode of her podcast, Doherty said she struggled with the uncertainty and lack of control that comes with dealing with a terminal disease. Facing another round of chemo, she considered stopping treatment, but said she realized, “My quality of life is 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.” She added, “I’m not the person who likes to give up very easily.”
What kind of cancer did Shannen Doherty have?
Doherty’s battle with cancer began in 2015, when she discovered she had breast cancer — but after a single mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation, she went into remission. Unfortunately, it returned in 2019 as stage 4. In June 2023, the actress revealed that six months prior, she’d undergone surgery and radiation to remove a brain tumor. She opened up to PEOPLE about that experience, saying, “It was definitely one of the scariest things I’ve ever been through in my entire life.”
By November 2023, Doherty’s stage 4 breast cancer had spread to her bones. Despite that incredibly difficult news, she remained hopeful and connected to faith to help her stay positive, and said it made her more appreciative of the time she was able to spend doing what she loved and spending time with those she cared about.
“I know it sounds cheesy and crazy, but you’re just more aware of everything, and you feel so blessed,” she said, adding that those battling terminal illnesses like herself are “the people who want to work the most, because we’re just so grateful for every second, every hour, every day we get to be here.”
