Shannen Doherty shaves her head as battle with breast cancer rages on

Shannen Doherty turned to Instagram to chronicle the latest step in her battle against breast cancer Tuesday night, sharing photos of friend and model Anne Kortright-Shilstat shearing the actress’ locks.

Doherty, who started her career as a child actor in the 1980s and became a cultural phenomenon with her portrayal of Brenda Walsh in “Beverly Hills 90210,” has been fighting breast cancer since March 2015.

The news of Doherty’s diagnosis came to light in August 2015, when the actress sued her former manager and management firm for, among other things, failing to pay her Screen Actors Guild medical insurance premiums for the 2014 coverage year, resulting in Doherty’s coverage being canceled. In the suit, Doherty said that because she was unable to re-enroll in insurance benefits until 2015, she was unable to see a doctor until March 2015, when she was then diagnosed with "invasive breast cancer metastatic to at least one lymph node” that spread while uninsured the previous year.

Rosa Elizabeth Doherty joined her daughter and Kortright-Shilstat for the head shaving ceremony and Doherty documented the preparations, which included chocolates, a razor and a cupcake pan.

The rest of Doherty’s photos from the process are in black and white and document a six-step process, beginning with a picture of Rosa Elizabeth Doherty hugging her daughter from behind before the shaving begins. 

The images that follow range from silly to serious, culminating in a shot of Doherty in profile, head half-shaven, skin covered with stray hairs not yet wiped away.

libby.hill@latimes.com

Twitter: @midwestspitfire

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