Shannen Doherty's final moments have been shared by her doctor.
The actress, renowned for her roles in Beverly Hills, 90210 and Charmed, passed away at the age of 53 on July 13, succumbing to stage IV breast cancer.
She had been openly battling the illness since 2020.
The star's oncologist - Dr. Lawrence D. Piro, who treated Doherty at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles - has now shared insights into her last hours in an interview with PEOPLE.
Surrounded by close friends, Dr. Piro says the actress' death was a poignant and peaceful transition.
"In the last few hours, she was in a place where she was very comfortable and sleeping and transitioning, and she was surrounded by some of her very close friends," Dr. Piro recounted. "The room was surrounded by a select group of friends that were giving her a lot of care and support.
"It was somber and sad, but beautiful and loving."
He added that despite the gravity of the moment, Doherty's love for life was palpable. "The hardest thing about this was that she wasn’t ready to leave because she loved life," he said.
Doherty's journey with cancer was marked by resilience and determination, as she often spoke candidly about her battle and willingness to fight until the end.
Diagnosed initially in 2015, she achieved remission from 2017 to 2019 after undergoing extensive treatment. However, in 2020, the cancer returned aggressively, spreading to her bones.
"We kept going until we couldn’t go any more," Dr. Piro reflected on their relentless pursuit of treatment options. "The last conversation that we had, she was in the process of realizing that things had taken a pretty significant turn.
"The conversation was about love and support and caring and still fighting through. She wanted to continue to take treatment and fight through, even though her physical condition had taken a bit of a downturn. And so we did."
Throughout her battle, Doherty's indomitable spirit shone through. Dr. Piro emphasized that giving up was never an option for her. "That wasn’t even open for discussion, because that’s not how Shannen lived. She was an incredible warrior in everything she did," he affirmed.
Amidst health challenges, Doherty also navigated personal turmoil, including a divorce from Kurt Iswarienko, which she settled the day before her passing. The legal resolution marked a closure to a turbulent period in her life.
Doherty's family confirmed her passing in a statement, requesting privacy to mourn their loss. "On Saturday, July 13th she lost her battle with cancer after many years of fighting the disease," they shared. "The devoted daughter, sister, aunt and friend was surrounded by her loved ones as well as her dog, Bowie."
In her final social media post - a snippet from her Let's Be Clear podcast - Shannen spoke candidly about the difficult decisions she faced regarding her treatment regimen, acknowledging the fear and hope that coexisted in her journey.
"So, you know, for the first time in I have no idea how long, I'm going to be on chemo for I have no idea if it's going to be, you know, three months or if it's going to be six months or if we are going, you know, if after three months if it's not working if we're going to change again," she shared.
Our thoughts continue to go out to Doherty's family, loved ones, and fans at this time.
If you or somebody you know is struggling with a terminal illness, you can call the American Cancer Society support line on 1-800-227-2345 for emotional support and practical advice.