Shannen Doherty Opened Up About Wanting to '...

Shannen Doherty was all about living life to the fullest

Published Time: 14.07.2024 - 16:31:04 Modified Time: 14.07.2024 - 16:31:04

Shannen Doherty was all about living life to the fullest.

Before her death on Saturday, July 13, at age 53, the actress opened up to PEOPLE in a 2023 cover story about how she wanted to "embrace life" amid her cancer journey.

Doherty's longtime publicist, Leslie Sloane, confirmed her death in an exclusive statement to PEOPLE on Sunday, July 14.

"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," she said. "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."

Below, read PEOPLE’s 2023 cover story with Doherty from the archive.

Shannen Doherty — who is best known for her roles on the hit ’90s TV showBeverly Hills, 90210and later,Charmed—is characteristically candid, upbeat and dry-witted as she opens up about her Stage 4 breast cancer that has spread to her bones on the set of her PEOPLE cover shoot four days before Thanksgiving.

As she continues to receive treatment, the 52-year-old is more determined than ever to keep moving forward. “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,” she says, cracking a smile. "I’m just not — I’m not done.”

Doherty’s eight-year journey with cancer has led her to reflect on the big picture of her life, a theme she will explore on her memoir-style podcast,Let’s Be Clear with Shannen Doherty,premiering Dec. 6 on iHeartRadio, where she plans to discuss everything from career highlights and past relationships to the numerous stages of her illness and health regimens.

After her initial breast cancer diagnosis in 2015 that she first sharedwith PEOPLE,Doherty had a mastectomy and underwent chemotherapy and radiation.

In April 2017,she revealed on Instagramshe went into remission. But by 2019, the cancer returned — and she announced her diagnosis of metastatic stage 4 cancer the following year.

“When you ask yourself, ‘Why me? Why did I get cancer?’ and then ‘Why did my cancer come back? Why am I stage -

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4?,’ that leads you to look for the bigger purpose in life,” she explains.

She hopes to raise awareness and funds for cancer research — while showing that people with terminal cancer still have plenty to contribute to the world. “It’s insane to me that we still don’t have a cure,” she says.

In June, Dohertyshared on Instagramthat the cancer had spread to her brain and that she had undergone surgery five months earlier toremove a brain tumor. With dark humor, she named it Bob.

“He had to get removed and dissected to see his pathology,” she explains. “It was definitely one of the scariest things I’ve ever been through in my entire life.”

Right now, Doherty hopes to get into clinical trials as new treatments are developed. (It is estimated 168,000 people are living with metastatic breast cancer, according to theSusan G. Komenorganization.) But she is most driven by her desire to prove that she can work despite her cancer diagnosis. And it's that deep-seated sense of discipline that helps her carry on.

“People just assume that it means you can’t walk, you can’t eat, you can’t work. They put you out to pasture at a very early age —‘You’re done, you’re retired,’ and we’re not,” she says. “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.”

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Each morning, the actress feels grateful for another day with her friends, her family and her German shepherd Bowie.

"My greatest memory is yet to come," she says. "I pray. I wake up and go to bed thanking God, praying for the things that matter to me without asking for too much. It connects me to a higher power and spirituality. My faith is my mantra.”

As she explains, when you have cancer, everything is more poignant, and the sky is bluer.

“I know it sounds cheesy and crazy, but you’re just more aware of everything, and you feel so blessed. We’re 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.”