Beloved '90210' Star Shannen Doherty, 51, Expresses Herself As An Animal Lover, Proud Dog Mom And Horse Fan As She Bravely Battles Breast Cancer
- Doherty is a lover of all animals and "dog mom" to her pup, Bowie, who’s regularly featured on her social media.
- The actress is taking life day by day, continuing both her issue advocacy and her acting, while living with stage 4 breast cancer.
- Doherty had hormone therapy to fight her cancer, but it was ineffective and the cancer has spread to her lymph nodes. She’s grateful for her community, and shows that having a good support system can help you thrive with cancer.
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A video went viral of a New York City horse collapsed on the street from mistreatment during a massive heat wave, and Shannen was extremely affected and disheartened by the matter.
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“NYC. Progressive but not. Horse drawn carriages so humans can what? Not use their kegs, not exercise, get a ride thru a park? It was not very long ago that when of these beautiful kind creatures got hit by a car in NY,” the 51-year-old pointed out.
“Is it enough yet? I hope so. Please stop participating in this. Text, call and let's end this….. finally. Number is on photo. Use it. Please,” she adds.
Her big heart holds a lot of space for things that she loves – both animals and people.
Relationships with Cancer
Support through cancer is critical; support can be found in friends, as Doherty knows, and also in family members, a partner or spouse, and professional support, like a therapist.
The actress has been married to partner, husband, and photographer Kurt Iswarienko since 2011, and previously mentioned that their bond grew even stronger after her diagnosis.
Another important person to Shannen is best friend, Chris Cortazzo. Frequently featured on her Instagram, Shannen says she “couldn't ask for a more kind, loving, compassionate, funny best friend.”
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“You are a rock and not only am I blessed with your friendship but the world is just a better place with you in it,” she adds.
Shannen’s Battle
Shannen Doherty was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 after finding a lump in her breast which turned out to be cancerous. She had hormone therapy to fight her cancer, but it was ineffective and the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes. Doherty underwent a single mastectomy and also had chemotherapy and radiation. After going into remission, she announced in February 2020 that her cancer returned, and this time it had spread to other parts of her body.
Surgery, like the kind Shannen Doherty had (a single mastectomy), is a common treatment path for many people fighting breast cancer. In an earlier interview, an oncologist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute explains the path to surgery.
She says, "So when I talk to a woman who comes to me and she has breast cancer, I evaluate what the standard options for treatment for her are, which typically include cutting out the cancer which is either a lumpectomy if you can get it all with just a little scooping around of the area that's abnormal or a mastectomy for some women meaning taking the full breast because sometimes these lesions can be very extensive in the breast."
When to Consider a Mastectomy
Having a Strong Support System
We love how Doherty is keeping an attitude of gratitude and remaining grateful for her community. Having a strong support network through cancer is so important.
Ovarian cancer fighter Beverly Reeves shares in an earlier interview how she thinks having a strong community during cancer is critical. She tells SurvivorNet, "If I had one piece of advice for someone who had just been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, it would be to get a strong support group together. Get your close friends. If you're connected to a faith community, get your faith community."
She continues, "Get your family. Let them know what's going on and let them help you. And sometimes that's the most difficult thing to do, but just know that they are there. If they love you, they're there to help you."
'Faith, Family, and Friends' Helped Beverly Reeves Get Through Ovarian Cancer Treatment
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