Shannen Doherty And Sarah Michelle Gellar Are The Friends We All Wish We Had

Shannen Doherty’s public cancer battle was an eye-opening experience for the Beverly Hills 90210 actress in many ways. While it helped Shannen recognize a need for a healthier lifestyle and gave her an empathy for other cancer patients, the experience also gave Doherty the opportunity to identify her fair weather friends, her frenemies, and her true, devoted friends. Among that latter group, Shannen found that her best friend, Sarah Michelle Gellar, was as true to their friendship during the hard times as she had been through their mutual successes. Now that Ms. Doherty is mostly recovered and returning to her life, she has some words of gratitude for Gellar.

Sarah Michelle Gellar Opens Up About Her Best Friend, Shannen Doherty

People reports that Sarah’s support of Shannen Doherty didn’t end when the Charmed actress made a recovery from her breast cancer. Instead, the bond between the two actresses seems to only have grown stronger with Gellar using her appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen to speak about her admiration and love for Doherty.

“Shannen’s incredible,” said 39-year-old Gellar.

Sarah went on to explain that her admiration of Doherty isn’t just due to the bravery she showed in battling cancer but in her willingness to share her cancer battle with the world. Sarah, like millions of people, followed Shannen, who shared the most intimate and, at times, the darkest moments of her fight against cancer.

“What she’s done for other women going through it is so brave, and that’s what real bravery is — to be able to go through the hardest time of your life and show people it’s okay to be scared, and it’s okay to be vulnerable, and you can do it.”

Now that Shannen is out of the hospital, she’s embracing a new, healthier lifestyle that includes intense daily workouts with Gellar, who shared a few pictures of the workout on Instagram. Ms. Gellar admits her ambition isn’t as stalwart as Shannen’s but adds that Doherty’s tenacity is contagious.

“The last thing I want to do is go to these really hard dance classes and sweat that hard and work that hard,” says Sarah Michelle Gellar.

“But I have to remind myself that if she’s getting up there and doing it, then it’s important that I do it, too.”

Shannen Doherty Praises Sarah Michelle Gellar For Her Devotion

While Ms. Doherty went through her treatments alone, the support she received from family and friends was powerful in keeping her positive and motivated. As Entertainment Tonight reports, Shannen hasn’t forgotten those who were there for her through her cancer battles and chiefly among those steadfast supporters is Sarah Michelle Gellar.

Doherty and Gellar have been friends for many years, growing up in the Hollywood spotlight together through the 90s and beyond, but their friendship has never really been tested by something as challenging as a cancer diagnosis. Now, after watching the Buffy the Vampire Slayer actress speak about their friendship on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, Doherty expresses her gratitude for Sarah’s love and returns the sentiment with some adoration of her own.

“Laying in bed watching my friend @sarahmgellar on #watchwhathappenslive Sarah you are a class act. From your pinky toe to the top of your head,” shared Shannen in an Instagram post.

“I am so very proud of you and not just for your success with @foodstirs or your amazing career or your new book, #stirringupfunwithfood but for the warm, generous, supportive, loving person you are. I’m privileged to know you and love you. #proudofmygirl”

Ms. Doherty also shared a recent visit with her doctor on Instagram, sharing that she was having a bad day and, while it had nothing to do with bad cancer news, she felt cheered up by the visit. She expressed that Dr. Jay Orringer had become a trusted friend through her cancer battles. Ms. Doherty added that she was grateful that cancer had brought her something good.

“I love him and I’m so thankful something bad like cancer can also bring something so beautiful to me,” wrote Shannen Doherty.

[Featured Image by Diane Freed/Getty Images]