After announcing her diagnosis with breast cancer in March 2015 and documenting her treatment on social media, People reports that Shannen Doherty announced she's now in remission. The actor shared much of her experience with her fans and the public throughout her journey, going so far as to thank her radiation machine and announce a lawsuit with her management team, which let her insurance lapse. With the news of her remission, it's sure to be happier times ahead, as noted in an Instagram post that went live on Friday.
"Moments. They happen. Today was and is a moment. What does remission mean? I heard that word and have no idea how to react," she captioned a photo of her sitting on the ground, face buried in the crook of her arm, presumably overwhelmed with the news. "Good news? YES. Overwhelming. YES. Now more waiting."
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It's fitting that Doherty would announce the news on Instagram. She had used the photo-sharing platform regularly to give followers a way to join her, both in good times like this and in more difficult instances, such as when she announced cancer had spread to her lymph nodes. She also used Instagram to show her shaving her head, explain her decision to undergo a single mastectomy, and her constant struggle facing the many unknowns that come with chemotherapy and other treatments.
Doherty's caption included an honest and heartbreaking addition. Though the remission is certainly good news, Doherty acknowledges that it's not the end of her experience with cancer, it's only the start of a whole new set of struggles: management and making more choices about her health.
"In the meantime, decisions. Reconstruction which is several surgeries," she wrote. "Decision on taking a pill for the next five years that comes with its own set of problems and side effects. I am blessed, I know that. But for now…. remission. I’m going to just breathe. #cancerslayer."