Shannen Finds a Calm Moment Through Cancer
- Actress Shannen Doherty, 51, shared a peaceful outdoors image on Instagram; she is living her best life even through cancer.
- Doherty was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 after finding a lump in her breast which turned out to be cancerous. Her cancer later returned and spread to other parts of her body.
- Many people find it helpful to spend time with loved ones, like parents, during a health battle. It can be good for your mental health.
We love to see survivors finding moments of peace and taking care of their mental health through a health battle like cancer. Doherty is a true warrior and an inspiration!
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Fans praised Doherty and the beautiful view. One loving fan writes, “I hope you're doing well today beautiful.” Another cancer fighter says, “Hope you're doing well we're living with the same thing.” And one Instagram user praises the incredible scene, writing, “What an exquisite view.” One fan says the epic view reminds them of Lord of the Rings!
Shannen's Breast Cancer Battle
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 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 Should You Consider a Mastectomy?
Good Mental Health Through Cancer
Photos like this one that Doherty shared highlight how she is still living her best life and taking care of her mental health through cancer. Doherty regularly leans on family and friends for support, as evidenced by her social media, and she appreciates the small moments in life, like time with her dog.
It’s important to care for your mental health through cancer, and a big part of that is having a supportive community, too.
In an earlier interview, ovarian cancer survivor Beverly Reeves stresses how critical it is to have a supportive, loving community guiding you during your cancer battle. Reeves tells SurvivorNet, "f 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."
"Get your family," says Reeves. "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. And don't be embarrassed."
She continues, "Because this is a cancer that not a lot of people want to talk about. But it's real and we need to talk about it, and we do need that help. So talk to your family and your friends and your faith community, and get that network together so they can support you and be there for you."
'Faith, Family, and Friends' Helped Beverly Reeves Get Through Ovarian Cancer Treatment
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