Shannen Doherty, best known for starring in Beverly Hills, 90210, has been battling breast cancer since last August. Today, the actress decided it was time to share her experience on Instagram with a set of six black and white powerful photos. But shortly before posting the set, she captioned another photo, “Cupcake pan, chocolates and a razor…. Stay tuned.”
Like many other cancer patients, Doherty decided to cut her hair. One of chemotherapy’s side effects is significant hair loss, which can be hard on anyone. Hair is considered a large part of our identity and it’s an emotional experience to cut it all off.
Doherty’s first photo was captioned, “Step 1.” It shows Doherty’s mother, Rosa Elizabeth Doherty, hugging her from behind. Doherty’s next photo, captioned, “Step 2” shows her cutting her hair in front a mirror as her friend, model Anne Marie Kortright, captures the moment.
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In the third photo all three women, Doherty, her mother and Kortright, pose together for a selfie. Doherty shows off her shorter hair with a smile. The final photo is captioned, “Step 6” and it’s a profile shot of the actress. The left side of her head is shaved off completely.
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Kortright continued supporting Doherty on Instagram by sharing a photo of them together on her account. Kortright captioned it, “Thank you for blindly trusting me today to help you with such a big step. I will forever be there for you no matter what.”
Doherty also got support from another fellow actor, Sarah Michelle Geller, who reposted the final photo in the set. Geller proudly called Doherty her #WCW and also wrote, “It already takes a strong woman to fight breast cancer, but it takes an even stronger woman to share that journey. @theshando you are not fighting alone, you have the thoughts and prayers of not only all of us that know and love you, but the rest of the world too. #fuckcancer.”
Doherty’s cancer diagnosis was first revealed when she filed a lawsuit against Tanner Mainstain, her former business management firm. The actress claims her cancer spread because of the firm’s poor health insurance that didn’t properly cover her.
[H/T: Refinery29]
