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'It tears you down'

Brave Shannen Doherty reveals cancer battle has changed her by making her ‘rethink who she is’

The actress has opened up about living with cancer in a frank interview with Chelsea Handler

IN her first late night interview, Shannen Doherty has admitted her cancer diagnosis has forced her to “rethink who she is”.

The actress bared all in a candid interview with her good friend Chelsea Handler – her first late-night chat since she was diagnosed in 2015.

 Shannen and Chelsea are incredibly close
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Shannen and Chelsea are incredibly closeCredit: Instagram

The Beverly Hills 90210 star has been sharing her journey with her fans – detailing her treatments on social media.

However although Shannen keeps a positive attitude, speaking to Chelsea she admitted it’s been incredibly hard.

She said: “I think what's beautiful and hard and interesting about cancer is that it tears you down and builds you, and tears you down and builds you.

“It remakes you so many different times.

 Shannen said her diagnosis had done 'amazing things' for her like making her marriage stronger
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Shannen said her diagnosis had done 'amazing things' for her like making her marriage strongerCredit: Splash News

“The person I thought I was supposed to be or was going to be or who I thought I was six months ago is now somebody completely different.

“I realise: ‘Wow, I really thought that I was so brave and so gracious this entire time and really I was just hiding.’”

Shannen, 45, went on to heap praise upon her husband Kurt Iswarienko for supporting her throughout.

She added: “This was very hard and not humbling – because I've already been humbled by cancer.

“It was hard in the sense of rethinking sort of who you are and how you come to terms with who are now and accepting it and looking at your husband and thinking like, ‘Dude, I’m sorry.’”

 Shannen has shared candid pictures from her treatment
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Shannen has shared candid pictures from her treatmentCredit: Instagram

Chelsea has been helping Shannen along the way, spending time with her during and after draining chemotherapy sessions.

Sharing a picture of herself with Chelsea this week, she wrote: “And then there is this lady @chelseahandler.

“We met many many years ago. Have run into each other and always exchanged numbers, talked of plans etc.

“Chelsea reached out and has since, made a point to have date nights with me on a weekly basis.

“Yeah she’s funny but also wicked smart with a huge heart.

“Sometimes the right people come into your life at the right time.”

Sarah Michelle Gellar has been supporting Shannen through this difficult time.

 She often shares experiences of her treatment on Instagram
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She often shares experiences of her treatment on InstagramCredit: Instagram

Sharing a post of the two, she wrote: “My friend who is kicking cancer in the you know what.

“But more than that, she is sharing her battle, so people fighting this horrible disease know they are not alone.

“I am inspired by her on the daily.”


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