Shannen Doherty Says She’s “Not Done Living” Though Cancer Has Spread To Her Bones

Actress Shannen Doherty is not done fighting cancer — or living her extraordinary life. This week in a cover interview with People, she shared an update about spread of her breast cancer to her bones alone with the news that she isn’t ready to stop doing all of the things she loves.

“I don’t want to die,” she told People bluntly and with a smile. “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. I’m just not — I’m not done.”

How is she planning on continuing to create while battling cancer? The 52-year-old Charmed actor announced that she’s launching a memoir-style podcast, Let’s Be Clear with Shannen Doherty. The first episode will release on December 6 on iHeartRadio.

She hopes that the podcast will raise awareness of cancer while allowing her to reflect back on her life and career — all while raising money for cancer research.

“It’s insane to me [that] we still don’t have a cure,” she told People.

She also hopes that the podcast will show that people with cancer are still living their lives and doing what they love.

“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 said in the interview. “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.”

Mostly, she’s just feeling grateful.

"My greatest memory is yet to come," she continued. "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. 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.”

Doherty first shared that she had been diagnosed with cancer in 2015. Two years later, she went into remission.

In 2020, Doherty announced the cancer had returned, spread, and was Stage 4, sharing on Good Morning America that she had been privately living with cancer.

Then, at the beginning of 2023, she made a devastating update that the cancer had spread to her brain. She posted a video of her receiving cancer treatment with tears in her eyes. The caption on the video began, “January 12, 2023.”

“On January 5th, my ct scan showed Mets in my brain. Yesterdays video was showing the process of getting fitted for the mask which you wear during radiation to your brain,” the caption reads. “January 12, the first round of radiation took place.”

“My fear is obvious. I am extremely claustrophobic and there was a lot going on in my life,” Doherty, 52, wrote.

“I am fortunate as I have great doctors like Dr Amin (Mirhadi) and the amazing techs at cedar sinai. But that fear…. The turmoil….. the timing of it all…. This is what cancer can look like.”

Several celeb friends of Doherty commented on the post with words of love and encouragement for the Charmed actor.

Actor Selma Blair, who has been battling her own health journey with multiple sclerosis, commented on the post, saying, “This is a lot. This is a lot to take on, still again. And I am wishing for all the wise peace you have learned to find you in the terror moments. To know we are holding you. Love. All love.”

Sarah Michelle Gellar called Doherty “a warrior.”

Mall Rats director Kevin Smith wrote in the comments, “Rooting for you, my irreplaceable friend. You have been such a fearless fighter your whole life, so it’s understandable to be a little scared from time to time. But when those moments pass, let that indomitable Doherty spirit take over anew. I love you so much, my Mallrat.”

In 2016, Doherty received the Courage Award at the American Cancer Society's Giants of Science Gala in November.

In her speech, she said, “Cancer has been my teacher. It's taught me what love, strength, friendship and support truly looks like. It's opened my eyes to myself and it's allowed me to not only share my journey with people but it's actually allowed me to share my inner self with anybody who actually wanted to know what it was like. And the end result is that I am nothing but vulnerability and, to me, vulnerability is courage.”

Doherty’s outlook is truly inspiring. Wishing nothing but love during this unimaginable time.