Warning: This article contains discussion of cancer which some readers may find distressing.
Prior to her tragic passing on Saturday (13 July), beloved US actor Shannen Doherty left behind a list of very specific wishes for how she wanted her body to be handled. The 53-year-old star of Beverley Hills, 90210 had been battling cancer and sadly lost her battle. Her publicist Leslie Sloan shared the sad news, revealing that Shannen had “lost her battle with cancer”. 
Shannen’s journey with cancer first became public knowledge in 2015 when she disclosed her breast cancer diagnosis. She underwent surgery and treatment, and her cancer thankfully went into remission. However, in 2020, she shared that the disease had returned and she was now facing stage four breast cancer. Sadly, the cancer had spread to her brain and bones, making her situation terminal. Throughout her health struggles, Shannen kept her fans informed through her popular podcast Let’s Be Clear. In one episode, she expressed her final wishes, which were rather specific. 
Shannen shared that she wanted her remains to be mixed with her dog and her late father’s ashes instead of being buried or cremated alone. She also expressed a desire for a portion of her cremation remains to be scattered in Malibu, a place she often visited with her father before he passed away in 2010. Additionally, she wanted her remains to be used as fertiliser to grow a tree. When it came to funeral arrangements, Shannen had a list of people she wanted to prohibit from attending. She explained, “There’s a lot of people that I think would show up that I don’t want there. I don’t want them there because their reasons for showing up aren’t necessarily the best reasons. Like, they don’t really like me and, you know, they have their reasons and good for them, but they don’t actually really like me enough to show up to my funeral.”
Shannen also emphasized that she didn’t want her funeral attendees to feel pressured to show up out of obligation. She wanted her funeral to be a love-filled event, free of tears and private celebrations of her passing. 
Shannen’s longtime friend and agent, Leslie Sloan, shared the heartbreaking news of her death in an emotional statement. She confirmed that Shannen had passed away on Saturday, July 13, surrounded by loved ones and her loyal dog, Bowie. The family has requested privacy during this difficult time to grieve in peace.
