In an episode of “Let’s Be Clear” that was published on June 23, the “Beverly Hills, 90210” star gave her listeners a tough update: She was going to resume chemotherapy treatment. Still, she offered a bit of positivity with the bitter pill that is stage IV cancer.
“So for the first time in a couple of months I feel hopeful because there are so many more protocols now,” she said. “Before, I was hopeful, but I was still getting prepared. Now, I’m like, ‘Oh, I don’t need to be prepared, I need to go on vacation. I need to go on a boat again and explore places!’”
She closed the episode saying, “I can tell you I’m not going anywhere right now.”
Doherty died Sunday at age 53, according to a statement from her publicist. An actress who rose from what TV Guide dubbed in the ’90s the “youth-quake” era of television, she carried a reputation for being outspoken on sets in a time when any self-advocacy by a young woman resulted in her being labeled “difficult.” But Doherty’s determination would serve her well in the role she took on in recent years: A voice of authority and advocacy in the cancer community.
She first disclosed her breast cancer diagnosis in 2015 and kept well-wishers up to date on her treatment, announcing her remission in 2017, and, ultimately, a return of her cancer in 2020.