Shannen Doherty Says ‘Stress Is an Understatement’ Amid Stage 4 Cancer Battle, Lawsuit

Amid her stage 4 cancer diagnosis and her ongoing lawsuit with State Farm, actress Shannen Doherty is opening up about how she is coping. In an emotional Instagram post shared with her 1.6 million followers Tuesday, exactly a week after she announced her cancer had returned, Doherty admitted to experiencing a great amount of stress, though she thanked her fans for their ongoing support.

“I want to thank all of you for your love, prayers and support,” Doherty captioned a photo of herself riding a horse. “It’s an odd time right now and I find my feet not completely underneath me.”

“To say I have stress is an understatement. To say that I’m struggling is mild,” she continued. “But… I believe that I will find my footing. I’ll dig deep for the inner strength I need to face it all. I pray I do it all with dignity and grace. I have so much to say. So much to share. I will. For now… please know how much you all help lift me.”

During an interview with Good Morning America‘s Amy Robach earlier this month, the 90210 alum revealed that after going into remission in 2017, her cancer had returned.

“It’s going to come out in a matter of days or a week that — I’m stage four. So my cancer came back. And that’s why I’m here,” she said. “I don’t think I’ve processed it. “It’s a bitter pill to swallow in a lot of ways.”

Her cancer battle comes as she continues a legal battle with State Farm over repair costs for her Malibu home, which was destroyed in the Woolsey fire in November 2018. The battle, Doherty claims, was the reason she decided to come forward with her stage 4 cancer diagnosis, as legal documents that were set to be released mentioned her cancer.

Those documents were released just days after her appearance on Good Morning America. Obtained by TMZ, they state that Doherty is “dying” of cancer and has been prohibited from living “her remaining years peacefully in her home” due to her ongoing issues with State Farm.

Responding to the claims, State Farm alleged that Doherty is attempting “to garner sympathy by her contention that State Farm must rebuild her entire house because she has breast cancer and COPD,” according to USA Today.

In a subsequent statement, the insurance company said that they “empathize with Ms. Doherty’s health issues and wish her a full recovery.”