'90210' Star Shannen Doherty Reveals Saddening Battle With Stage 4 Breast Cancer
In an emotional TV interview, "Beverly Hills 90210" actress Shannen Doherty revealed that her cancer came back.
Doherty was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, but two years later, she said she was done with chemo and is feeling "great".
However, the actress shared news of her relapse on Tuesday with Good Morning America.
"It's going to come out in a matter of days or a week that I'm stage four. So my cancer came back," Doherty revealed.
The 48-year-old star said that it is a "bitter pill to swallow in a lot of ways," admitting that she does not think she has processed it yet.
The "Charmed" actress also said one reason why she came forward to say it has returned is because of her health conditions that could come out in court.
Doherty sued insurance giant State Farm after her California home was damaged in a fire in 2018.
"I'd rather people hear it from me. I don't want it to be twisted. I don't want it to be a court document. I want it to be real and authentic," Doherty added. "I want people to know from me. I didn't want them to know yet."
Playing as "Brenda Walsh" in the original "Beverly Hills" show, Shannen Doherty has openly documented her battle with cancer on social media, posting videos of herself exercising along with the hashtag #cancerslayer.
Filming the 2019 reboot of the show, which came months after the death of her co-star Luke Perry, she kept the news to herself so she can do her best to honor him.
"It's so weird for me to be diagnosed and then somebody who was seemingly healthy to go first. It was really shocking," she continued, "And the last I could do to honor him was to do that show."
The actress also admitted to keeping the diagnosis primarily to herself to prove to people that she can still work. However, she relied heavily on co-star Brian Austin Green on the long days of filming.
Some days she had moments of "great anxiety," thinking that she "can't do this," but then Green -- out of the group of people that knew -- would say, "We got this, kiddo."
After her interview aired, Doherty acknowledged the outpouring of support from her fans and friends by taking to Instagram and sharing a cartoon snapshot of Snoopy and Charlie Brown. In the image, Snoopy puts a positive spin on a grim outlook.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by ShannenDoherty (@theshando) on Feb 4, 2020 at 7:29am PST
This is a strategy that Doherty previously told People Magazine that she adapts every day.
"I'm trying to be kinder to myself. and I try to live each day as an amazing, precious gift that I've been given."
In 2015, Doherty sued her former management company Tanner, Mainstain, Glynn and Johnson for breach of contract and negligence. She claimed it caused her to lose her Screen Actors Guild medical insurance for all of 2014 when the undiscovered cancer was spreading because the company failed to pay a month in 2013 bill for the year's premium.
The policy got cancelled and left her without coverage until the next enrollment period for 2015.
According to her doctors, the cancer could have been potentially stopped if she had been insured and was able to visit her doctor in 2014.
The lawsuit claims that the company has also mismanaged the actress' money, failing to pay her taxes on time and overcharged her in fees.
