Shannen Doherty has passed away, aged 53.
“It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of actress Shannen Doherty. On Saturday, July 13, she lost her battle with cancer after many years of fighting the disease,” Doherty’s publicist Leslie Sloane confirmed to People.
“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 was first diagnosed with breast cancer in March 2015. In April 2017, the Beverly Hills: 90210 star shared that she had since gone into remission however, her cancer sadly returned in 2019, with the actress revealing her diagnosis of Stage 4 metastatic cancer the following year.
Speaking candidly on her ongoing chemotherapy treatment, the 53-year-old later shared that her cancer had since metastasised to her brain – undergoing surgery to remove a brain tumour in January 2023.
“I had a tumour in my head they wanted to remove and biopsy. I am clearly trying to be brave, but I am petrified. The fear was overwhelming to me,” Doherty wrote to Instagram.
In November 2023, the Charmed star revealed to People that her Stage 4 cancer had since spread to her bones, with the actress sharing that she had hoped to undertake clinical trials as new treatments were developed.
“I don’t want to die… I’m not done with living. I’m not done with loving. I’m not done with creating. I’m not done with hopefully changing things for the better.”
Throughout her nine-year battle with cancer, Doherty remained committed to being as involved with her work as possible, with the actress continuing to star weekly on her Let’s Be Clear podcast until June 26, 2024.
“People just assume that [cancer] means you can’t walk, you can’t eat, you can’t work. They put you out to pasture at a very early age,” Doherty told People.
“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.”
