Cancer-stricken Shannen Doherty preparing for death by downsizing, letting go of her possessions

Charmed and 90210 star Shannen Doherty has opened up about preparing for her own death as she continues battling stage four cancer.

Shannen Doherty is battling cancer.

Shannen Doherty is learning how to let go.

The Beverly Hills, 90210 alum — who has stage 4 breast cancer — got candid about cleaning out her storage units and homes to make for an “easier transition” for her mum, Rosa, when she dies.

“My priority at the moment is my mum,” the actress said during an episode of her Let’s Be Clear podcast. “I know it’s going to be hard on her if I pass away before her.”

She continued: “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.”

Doherty, 52, explained that she started going through her belongings to donate or sell antiques and other items she’s collected over the years “just in case” anything happened to her.

The actress most recently made a trip south to her Tennessee home to pack up her belongings after she decided to let go of her dream of living on the property and fostering horses.

“So we were in Tennessee and I was packing up one of the places there,” she continued. “It was really hard and really emotional because to a certain extent — I felt like I was giving up on this dream of building this property out, and putting a house for me and a house for my mum and then extending the barn.”

Doherty revealed she’d been preparing for her death. Picture: Instagram

Shannen Doherty starred in the 90s drama 90210. Picture: Fox

Doherty added that she planned to build a sanctuary for horses who were “abandoned by their owners because they are too old” or “broken down.”

“That was one of my dreams,” she said while tearing up.

“I was packing up and I started crying … I felt like I was giving up on a dream and what did that mean for me? Did it mean that I was giving up on life? Did it mean that I was throwing in the towel?

“And my mom was there and she was like, ‘Don’t get rid of this place, it’s fine. You don’t have to and you can keep going.’ I said, ‘Yeah, absolutely I can.’”

A week later, Doherty returned to the home to pack all of her stuff in a U-haul to bring back to California.

The Charmed star explained she had an epiphany while there, realising her dream was a “stupid idea” because of how much it would cost her to renovate the property.

She said letting go was “the right thing to do,” knowing it would bring her a sense of “peace.”

“I can still live my dream of helping horses,” Doherty furthered. “I can still live that dream by really participating in rescues that are far more capable of me doing it.”

She has regularly shared updates on her health journey with fans. Picture: Instagram

She’s now letting go of significant possession to help “leave behind a cleaner, easier transition” for her family. Picture: Instagram

The actress explained that letting go of the property and other possessions helps “leave behind a cleaner, easier transition” for her family.

Through the process, Doherty has learned her belongings don’t bring her as much joy as making memories with her mum and loved ones.

“It allows me to take more trips because I’m making money, I’m selling it,” she continued. “Then I get to build different memories and I build memories with the people that I love.

“I get to take my mum 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 star has been open with her fans about her cancer journey since she was initially diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015.

Though Doherty went into remission in 2017, the cancer came back two years later, returning as stage 4.

The actress gave a massive update on her health last year, revealing her cancer spread to her brain and later her bones.

Despite the 90s icon “fighting to stay alive,” Doherty has been open about her preparations for death, even admitting there are “a lot of people” she doesn’t want at her funeral.

This article originally appeared in Page Six and was reproduced with permission.