Shannen Doherty Fears Losing Her Breast Cancer Battle: ‘I Don’t Look Past Today’

Shannen Doherty is doing the impossible. The former Charmed actress is battling breast cancer in a public forum, risking the harsh judgments of cyberbullies and her own critics, while also trying to keep the positive attitude so necessary in battling any form of cancer. One cannot deny the unabashed courage necessary for Shannen to have been able to do this as gracefully as she has, but even the strongest among us reaches a point where our bravery fails us and we nearly collapse from the exhaustion of it all. Doherty opens up about this and more, but even as Ms. Doherty seems to feel she can’t wage this war alone for much longer, Shannen is lifted up by the support of others, celebrities whose respect she has earned through her breast cancer battle and her indomitable spirit.

Shannen Doherty Begins To Feel The Pressure Of Her Breast Cancer Battle

In a sneak peek of an upcoming three-part interview with Entertainment Weekly, Shannon Doherty reveals that she’s not always as resilient as she may appear in her social media posts and interviews. Since February 2015, when Doherty first revealed her breast cancer diagnosis, Shannen has shared her ongoing battle against the illness with the public, which in itself is a testament to her strength and fierceness, but, as the Charmed and Beverly Hills, 90210 actress reviews in these new interviews, even the bravest warrior sometimes faces a crisis of faith.

“It’s hard,” Ms. Doherty says, as she begins shedding tears in the interview. “I started thinking that I wasn’t going to live… I don’t look past today.”

Shannen reveals that it isn’t just the fear of death that leaves her feeling despondent at times. She says it’s difficult to look in the mirror and see a mostly unfamiliar face looking back at her. The thought that she may never again look like her former self leaves Shannen as fearful of the future as the thought of losing her battle against breast cancer altogether.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever look like me again,” says Doherty. “I want to believe that if I fight, I’m gonna be OK.”

Shannen Doherty, You Are Not Alone — Just Ask Jason Priestly

At times, it may seem that Shannen, like millions of others battling cancer, faces the fight alone, and while others may not know exactly what the experience is like, that doesn’t prevent them from offering their support, sympathy, and admiration. One such person to find inspiration from Shannen Doherty’s breast cancer battle is her former Beverly Hills, 90210 co-star, Jason Priestly, reports Daily Mail.

“What she did the other day, shaving her head and posting the pictures and everything, that was incredibly brave,” said Priestly in response to Doherty sharing her recent head shaving experience with her Instagram followers.

While Shannen seems to have momentarily faltered in her conviction to beat breast cancer on her own terms, Jason seems to have enough faith in her until she gets her second wind. He says “Shannen’s a strong kid and a tough fighter,” in predicting that the actress will not only defeat the illness, but will soon be back to her old self as well. Priestly adds that Doherty’s decision to publicly share her progress as a cancer patient has cast her as a source of inspiration for millions of others facing similar battles against illness and disease.

“Shannen’s a strong kid and a tough fighter, and I know that she’s gonna come through this fight and she’s gonna be OK,” says Mr. Priestly.

Jason Priestly isn’t the only Beverly Hills, 90210 alum to offer Ms. Doherty words of sympathy and support.

“I wish her all the best, of course,” Tiffani Thiessen said.

Entertainment Tonight‘s exclusive interview with Shannen Doherty will be released on Monday.

[Photo by David Livingston/Getty Images]