Shannen Doherty’s Doctor Says Things Turned Difficult in Final Weeks

Shannen Doherty’s doctor and close friend is commending the actress for being a fighter up until the very end of her life.

“Things turned much more difficult in the last couple of weeks, and that’s when it became clear that it was heading in a different direction,” oncologist Dr. Lawrence D. Piro said in an interview with People published on Monday, July 15. “We continued to fight while putting in more support and we just kept loving and hoping and supporting.”

Piro helped care for Doherty when she first received her breast cancer diagnosis in 2015. While she went into remission in 2017, Doherty’s cancer returned in 2019 and she was later diagnosed with metastatic stage 4 cancer.

On Saturday, July 13, Piro was with Doherty when she died at the age of 53 following a long health battle.

Related: Shannen Doherty’s Life in Photos

Prior to her July 2024 death, Shannen Doherty made a name for herself in film and television. The actress, born in Memphis in April 1971, started her career as a child star on Little House on the Prairie and went on to appear in the dark comedic film Heathers. Doherty’s fame continued to grow after […]

During their long friendship, Piro enjoyed experiencing vibrant dinner parties with the Charmed actress at her home. “She was an incredible, incredible chef,” the medical expert and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center doctor recalled. “It was very strange being in her home with her in a bed and not in the kitchen bringing out pizzas and cooking pasta. She loved cooking. She loved giving parties. She loved entertaining.”

According to Piro, what kept Doherty going “was a love for life and a desire to have more life. That was incredibly painful for her not to be able to do that.”

While many will remember Doherty for her various roles on the big and small screen — including Prue Halliwell on Charmed and Brenda Walsh on Beverly Hills, 90210 — Piro believes his friend’s legacy will be one of treating others with kindness.

“This tremendous love for life was inspired by a love for people and a love for being treated well,” he said. “And I think that that grew out of being in the public eye from a very young age and feeling misunderstood most of her life. She would want us to live our lives as strongly as we can, committed to our convictions and to not allow others to label you or to misrepresent you and stop you from living your best life.”

Related: Shannen Doherty’s Cancer Battle in Her Own Words

For Shannen Doherty, it was important to be “as honest as possible” about her fight against cancer. The actress first battled breast cancer between March 2015 and April 2017, and she revealed in February 2020 that the illness had returned. “It’s going to come out in a matter of days or a week that — […]

Before Doherty’s death, the actress signed on as a cohost for iHeartRadio’s “The House of Halliwell: A Charmed Rewatch Podcast” alongside former costars Holly Marie Combs, Drew Fuller and Brian Krause.

According to iHeartRadio, some podcast episodes were filmed before Doherty’s death and will be released in the coming weeks.

“This show, this character, this podcast meant so much to Shannen. She couldn’t wait to share it with Charmed fans everywhere,” iHeartRadio revealed in a description for the Monday, July 15 episode. “We want to honor her memory and fulfill Shannen’s wishes by airing the first five episodes she recorded before her passing. She was passionate about this project and proud to have played Prue Halliwell. We hope these episodes offer some comfort for everyone who loved her.”