Shannen Doherty Shares ‘The Many Faces Of Cancer’ Chemo Experience

Shannen Doherty’s experience with breast cancer has led to a greater struggle than she could have imagined, when she first revealed the diagnosis in February 2015, but she’s still fighting. Proving herself to be a warrior in every sense of the word, Doherty has come back from a feeling of defeat at learning her cancer has spread to take on the disease with an even greater determination to beat it. Submitting to a new round of chemotherapy, Shannen continues to document her progress, whether she’s facing triumphs or defeats, so that other cancer patients may draw inspiration from her experiences.

Former Charmed Star Shannen Doherty Shares “The Many Faces Of Cancer”

Mirror follows Shannen Doherty as she heads into a new round of chemo and posts the experiences to Instagram to keep her friends, family, and fans all updated on what’s going on with her cancer treatments. On Wednesday, Doherty posted a picture of herself and her mother in Doherty’s hospital room, just shortly after having submitted to a new session of chemotherapy. In the background, Shannen’s mom is seen showing support for her struggling daughter, but, in the foreground, the Charmed actress peers into the camera from the right side.

“Chemo day. Woke up with puffy eyelids, eyes that won’t stop watering and a big desire to stay home…… #themanyfacesofcancer #fightlikeagirl,” Doherty captioned the picture.

While Shannen draws attention to her tired eyes and the exhaustion with which the chemo session has left her experiencing, there can be no dismissing the rebellious warrior spirit also present in her eyes. Doherty no longer seems quite as defeated as she previously has been and even seems hopeful, as though she has regained her will to live.

Shannen Finds Strength In Her Medical Team

Previously, Ms. Doherty’s Instagram posts have focused on her personal struggle with cancer, which is just what fans need to see to draw strength from Shannen’s fight for survival, but Daily Mail shares the news that Doherty is now beginning to share the actual treatments with her followers. In a recent picture, Shannen is seen taking an injection, administered by her nurse, Dawn. The actress captioned the picture with a message about the treatment, saying that she and her nurse refer to the injection as the Red Devil. She also revealed that the injection is received into her body via a port in her chest.

In another post, Shannen shared an image of herself consulting with her oncologist, Dr. Lawrence Piro. The two seem to have developed a comfortable doctor/patient relationship and Doherty shares a caption that implies she finds great confidence in Piro’s handling of her cancer treatments.

“My oncologist, Dr Lawrence Piro and I have a great relationship, one of mutual respect. He respects that I always come in with new questions and he takes the time to address and answer all of them…. I like to say I’m his favorite patient but I have a feeling all of us think that,” Ms. Doherty shared in the Instagram post. “The key is to find a doctor who listens to you and appreciates your concerns. Not every cancer patient is the same. Also, it took me a lot of meetings to find my dream team. Don’t settle #dontbeafraidtoquestion #research #lovemydoctors”

Another one of Shannen’s loved ones showing support as she battles cancer, husband Kurt Iswarienko is seen kissing Doherty’s forehead during a recent visit.

“There are many faces to cancer. This is one of them. Chemo Day With @kurtiswarienko by my side. August 10, 2016,” Shannen captioned this photo.

While she tries to keep a positive mindset, Doherty also shared the truth that battling her cancer has seemed an impossible task at times, leaving her feeling despondent and more exhausted than anything she has ever before experienced. Shannen says she has tried everything in her fight against cancer with the support of her medical team, but little seems to be helping.

Still, Doherty says she’s grateful for her fans and for their support through her cancer struggles, adding that their words have inspired her to keep fighting, even when she has felt too defeated to go on.

“So days like this have become a bit of the norm. I’m learning that it’s ok to fall into bed and give in to the exhaustion or nausea or aches,” Shannen Doherty shared on Instagram. “I’ve learned a lot of that thru all the beautiful people who have shared their personal stories with me right here on Instagram.”

[Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for G-Star]