Shannen Doherty, the beloved actress known for her roles in Beverly Hills, 90210 and Charmed, passed away at the age of 53 on July 13, after a long battle with stage IV breast cancer.
The star had been openly fighting since 2020, and often candidly spoke about her health journey, fears, and requests she wants to be honored once she passed.
Her oncologist, Dr. Lawrence D. Piro - who treated Doherty at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles - recently shared insights into the actress' final hours in an interview with PEOPLE.
Dr. Piro described her passing as a peaceful and poignant transition, revealing that she was surrounded by close friends in her last moments.
"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."
Months before her death, Doherty had openly discussed her wishes for her remains.
She revealed a unique plan for her ashes. "I want to be mixed with my dog, and I want to be mixed with my dad," she said during a candid episode of her podcast, Let's Be Clear with Shannen Doherty.
Doherty went on to add that her loved ones should distribute her ashes in "a healthy mixture" of ways.
She also shared her unconventional funeral requests, including her reservations about certain individuals attending.
"There may be a lot of people that I think would show up that I don't want there," Doherty said, before elaborating on her concerns. "I don't want them there because their reasons for showing up aren't necessarily the best reasons."
Doherty claimed that some people may attend who "don't actually really like [her] enough to show up to [her] funeral" - suggesting they might just attend because it's the socially accepted thing to do.
In a bid to alleviate pressure on such attendees, Doherty emphasized her desire for the event to be a "love fest," steering away from somber moments or insincere mourners.
She said: "I don't want people to be crying or people to privately be like, 'Thank God that b**** is dead now.'"
Doherty's battle with breast cancer began in 2015 and involved aggressive treatments, including a mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, leading to remission in 2017. However, the cancer returned in 2019 and progressed to stage four by early 2020.
By June 2023, it had spread to her brain and later to her bones, marking a relentless struggle against the disease.
Throughout her illness, Shannen Doherty remained resilient and outspoken, both in her fight against cancer and in her final wishes for her legacy and farewell.
Her passing has deeply impacted her fans and the entertainment industry, as they remember her as a courageous fighter and cherished talent.
As fans and loved ones remember the actress, many of her supporters have taken to Instagram to reveal how Doherty has inspired them throughout their own health battles.
On her final post, one person commented: "I still can’t believe she is gone. I got a chance to meet her last year. We talked about my cancer, treatment and how her journey helped me along mine. We cried and we hugged."
A second wrote: "Rest easy, Shannen. You fought so hard and were such an inspiration to me during my own cancer battle."
