Shannen Doherty has been such an inspiration for the past couple of years, huh?
It was all the way back in August of 2015 when we learned that she’d been diagnosed with breast cancer, and ever since then, she’s pretty much been a total hero.
Or a “cancer slayer,” as she calls herself.
Things were rough for her from the get-go — her cancer diagnosis was revealed in a lawsuit against her former manager, who had failed to obtain insurance for her.
Since she didn’t have insurance, it took her longer to get in a visit with her doctor, and if she’d been able to get medical attention earlier, her cancer may have been caught earlier.
If that had happened, she may have avoided all the chemotherapy and radiation she went through this past year.
Thankfully, even though Shannen did seem to have a rough time for a long time, she announced in April that the cancer was officially in remission.
And now, since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, she’s taking some time to share another one of her inspirational messages, along with a heartbreaking photo:
“This image is so personal to me,” she said of the picture above. “I had started chemo. Was using a cold cap in hope to not lose my hair.”
“End result was clumps in my hands.”
Shannen wrote that “I was sick, felt like I was losing myself. Gained people and lost people. Got weak and got strong. Felt ugly and yet more beautiful inside than I had ever felt before.”
“I remember this like it was yesterday, like it was a minute ago.”
“Cancer has so many phases,” she explained. “Shock, denial, acceptance, anger, resentment, rebellion, fear, appreciation, beauty. Remission.”
“Even then, the phases keep coming. Cancer is with you forever.”
Because, she wrote, “Those who have experienced it know that even after you’ve kicked it’s ass, it still impacts you, in good ways and bad.”
“You still go thru the roller coaster of emotions. You still need support and love. And you can still grasp life and live, live live.”
It’s such a strong message, and it’s clear that she’s touched a lot of people with it.
If you check the comment section on her photo, it’s full of people who have battled cancer or who have loved ones with the disease, and it’s clear that Shannen is a bright light in all that darkness.
“I’m struggling right now,” one person wrote to her. “Stage 4 Metastasis Breast Cancer. Been Battling 2 years now. It’s so mentally draining. I just try and focus on the good.”
“My 5 year old son is my strength. Thank you for sharing your journey. I’ve always been a fan and now I feel so connected.”
“Lost my wife to cancer 5 weeks ago today at 48 years old,” another person commented. “I’m a broken man and miss her so much … we were married 27 years together 33 years my world she was.”
“I know the day her hair fell out was her worst feeling through her fight. Keep strong Shannen.”
Another Shannen fan simply wrote “My battle started in 1972… and I am still here sweetie … and so are YOU!”
We’re not crying, you’re crying.
Just kidding, literally everyone is crying.
Thank you, Shannen, for this and for all that you do.
