On November 5, Shannen Doherty was honored the “Courage Award” at the American Cancer Society’s inaugural “Giants Of Science Gala.” Doherty told Entertainment Tonight that “she accepts the award with the courage of others in mind.” According to the Entertainment Tonight article, the actress wore a gorgeous blue pantsuit and felt nervous before giving her speech. “I’m not quite sure what I’m going to say and Sarah Michelle Gellar is giving me my award - I have a feeling that she’s going to make me sob tonight,” quoted by ET.
The actress gave an emotional speech about her understanding of courage and how it has helped her battle her cancer diagnosis. Cancer has been her teacher for the past year and a half. It has taught her what love, strength, friendship and support truly looks like. “It’s opened my eyes to myself and it’s allowed me to not only to share my inner self with anybody who actually wanted to know what it was like. And the end result is that I am nothing but vulnerability and, to me vulnerability is courage,” she said during her speech according to the ET article.
As said on Doherty’s speech, courage does not come immediately on battling cancer and also said that it grows. Courage is facing everyday and every obstacle one step at a time. It is also knowing that fear is not going to help find a cure. She also noted that courage is also embracing what you are going through with as as much dignity as you can “while also accepting your circumstances and allowing yourself to feel everything,” noted by the article.
She paid tribute to her team of doctors and specialists as well as her husband, producer Kurt Iswarienko during her speech. Doherty compared her support group of people to the “Wizard” in the “Wizard Of Oz” while she referred herself as the “Cowardly Lion” and she thought she did not have the courage and those people gave her the courage as noted by ET.
The “Charmed” actress acknowledged that the award came on the sixth death anniversary of her father, who also had his share of health problems. Her father inspired her to face her battle with joy and love and she accepted the award on behalf of the fathers who have taught their children to have courage. Doherty also accepted the award on behalf of all the cancer patients together with their caregivers.
Iswarienko posted an Instagram photo captioned, “She spoke from the heart and she showed us what grace and courage is in flesh and spirit”(click link below). Meanwhile, Doherty’s close friends, fellow actress, Sarah Michelle Gellar and talk show host, Chelsea Handler showed their support. Both Gellar and Handler posted Instagram pictures during the event that can be clicked on the link below.
She also gave a statement to ET regarding the cancer diagnosis of Michael Buble’s son. “I can’t even begin to touch that one to be honest because it’s a 3-year old,” said Doherty. On her statement she also gave an advice to Buble’s family to make sure they have amazing doctors and organizations like The American Cancer Society and Stand Up to Cancer and “are doing so much good for cancer.” She also added that there is so much research that cancer patients have more chances now and also to stay positive. The video below is Doherty being interviewed on her cancer battle:
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