Hollywood actress gives away belongings in preparation for death after cancer diagnosis

American actress, Shannen Doherty, has disclosed that she is preparing for her demise by giving away and selling her items as she continues battle Stage 4 breast cancer.

Speaking on her podcast Let’s Be Clear Monday, Doherty, 52, said she’s been giving away her possessions in an effort to make things easier for her mother Rosa Doherty, in the event she should pass away amid her health condition.

‘My priority at the moment is my mom – I know it’s going to be hard on her if I pass away before her,’ the Beverly Hills, 90210 star said. ‘Because it’s going to be so hard on her, I want other things to be a lot easier. I don’t want her to have a bunch of stuff to deal with. I don’t want her to have four storage units filled with furniture.’

She added of the downsizing process: ‘It feels like you’re giving up on something that was very special and important to you.

‘But you know that it’s the right thing to do and that it’s going to give you a sense of peace and a sense of calm. Because you’re helping the people that you leave behind just have a cleaner, easier transition.’

The Memphis, Tennessee-born actress, who has had candid conversations about her mortality on the podcast, said she knows ‘it’s never going to be easy for the people in [her] life but maybe it’s more about ease for’ herself.

‘I’m not enjoying it and others aren’t enjoying it, and do I really need any of it? Do I need to have three dining room tables?’ she said of the items.

‘The answer is no, none of us really need all the stuff that we have, and we could all do with a little bit of downsizing and not become a hoarder, which I was doing with all my furniture.’

The Charmed star said that she planned on selling off some items to garner funds to travel with her mother.

‘It’s just stuff,’ Doherty said. ‘I don’t need this, it doesn’t really bring me any great joy, but what does bring me great joy is taking my mom to the places that she’s always wanted to go to.

‘I get to build different memories – I get to build memories with the people I love.’

Doherty said that the vacations she is planning on, funded by the sale of the aforementioned belongings, will not cut into the money she’s planning on leaving her loved ones.

‘I’m not digging into the money that’s in my estate that is going to make sure everybody in my life is taken care of,’ she said.

Doherty said of the proceeds from selling the furniture: ‘It allows me to take more trips because I’m making money, I’m selling it. Then I get to build different memories and I build memories with the people that I love.

‘I get to take my mom on vacations because I have all this extra play money lying around and I’m not digging into the money that’s in my estate that’s going to make sure that everybody in my life is taken care of once I’m dead.’

The Heathers actress said her mother was emotional amid a trip they took to Italy years back, as she ‘had tears pouring down her face because she never really thought that she would see that, and she certainly didn’t think that she was going to be able to see that with me.’

Doherty said the vivid memories ‘are the things that matter the most – not your possessions, not what you have.’

Doherty added, ‘I’m also now reminded of the freedom that giving that up has provided me.’

Doherty was initially diagnosed in 2015 with breast cancer and went into remission in 2017. In February 2020, she said she had been diagnosed with stage four breast cancer, and in November of 2023, she said that the cancer had spread to her bones.

Also in January of 2023, Doherty and ex-husband Kurt Iswarienko separated, and she revealed they were divorcing in April amid ‘irreconcilable differences.’

Doherty claimed Iswarienko, who she was married to since 2011, was unfaithful to her, which he has denied.

The actress had been married twice; to Ashley Hamilton from 1993-1994, and to Rick Salomon from 2002-2003.