Actor Shannen Doherty had to face the harsh reality of a cancer diagnosis — and she
believes someone is responsible for making it worse.
So who did she point the finger at?
In 2015, Doherty confirmed reports of her cancer diagnosis, telling People magazine:
"Yes, I have breast cancer, and I am currently undergoing treatment.
I am continuing to eat right, exercise and stay very positive about my life."
Initially, it looked like doctors had caught her cancer in time.
In 2017, following treatment, Doherty announced she was in remission.
She posted on Instagram:
"What does remission mean?
I heard that word and have no idea how to react.
Good news?
YES.
Overwhelming.
YES."
However, Doherty also acknowledged that she wasn't out of the woods yet, and in 2020 Doherty
she revealed that her cancer had returned.
This time, it had metastasized beyond her breasts and lymph nodes.
She told Elle:
"I feel like I'm a very, very healthy human being.
It's hard to wrap up your affairs when you feel like you're going to live another 10
or 15 years."
Doherty even admitted questioning if her cancer was some sort of "karma" payback; ultimately,
she determined it wasn't.
Instead, Doherty blames her cancer diagnosis on someone else: her ex-manager.
In 2015, Doherty levied a lawsuit against her management company, blaming her diagnosis
on her ex-manager, Tia Boyd, and Boyd's employers, Tanner, Mainstain, Glynn & Johnson.
Per TMZ, the documents allege the firm missed one of Doherty's SAG health insurance payments
in 2014, causing her policy to lapse.
The lawsuit claims the insurance couldn't be reinstated until 2015, resulting in Doherty
skipping doctor visits in the months in between.
After regaining her insurance and visiting her doctor again, Doherty received the devastating
news of her cancer diagnosis.
The lawsuit claims Doherty's doctors told her that her cancer had spread during the
period she was uninsured, and that she would now have to undergo invasive surgery that
could have been avoided if the cancer had been detected earlier.
Doherty later filed a second motion, alleging an employee from the management company impersonated
her in order to obtain confidential medical information from her insurance brokers.
Doherty's management company admitted to calling the insurance brokers, but denied impersonating
its former client or attempting to obtain her personal records.
Doherty's former management company settled the lawsuit in 2016.
Just before agreeing on a payment, Tia Boyd's attorneys had attempted to depose Doherty
so they could grill her about how sick she really was, and how much of an impact the
cancer treatments were having on her life.
In an interview with ABC News in 2020, the actor opened up for the first time about her
advanced diagnosis.
"They look at you like you're a dead man walking basically, and that they need to say their
goodbyes to you or something."
Shortly after the interview, Doherty broke the news that she'd split from her husband
of 11 years, Kurt Iswarienko.
Then, in June 2023, Doherty delivered a devastating cancer update.
The actor posted a video to her Instagram showing her crying as she underwent radiation
treatment.
She captioned the clip:
"January 12, the first round of radiation took place.
My fear is obvious.
That fear....
The turmoil.....
the timing of it all....
This is what cancer can look like."
Since her shock split from Iswarienko in 2020, Doherty no longer has the support of her husband
of 11 years.
However, she has her close friends and family to lean on in times of need, and it appears
that Doherty has a tight-knit circle of loved ones by her side.
Doherty often posts pics of her support circle on her Instagram.
A recent photo showed her with some of her pals.
She captioned the image:
"Rainbows and friends."
One of her closest companions, who has been with Doherty all throughout her cancer journey,
is realtor to the stars Chris Cortazzo.
Cortazzo is a constant fixture on Doherty's social media, in fact, and his unwavering
support doesn't go unappreciated by the actor.
She captioned one selfie of the two:
"Trust, love, enduring loyalty are the things I value most.
[Chris] always hits all three."
She had previously written:
"I've learned that my vulnerability is something to embrace...
Not mask.
Thank you, Chris, for being my rock."