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The news that Shannen Doherty died at just 53 years old this week hit me hard.
You see, back in the 90s if you'd told me that one day I would have a lot in common with Shannen Doherty, I would have been thrilled. I coveted her impossibly shiny dark hair, her green eyes and her acting career that meant she got to kiss Luke Perry in 90210 and get paid for it.
Decades later, Shannen Doherty and I have more in common than I could have ever imagined, but sadly it didn't involve shiny hair or handsome actors. Instead, we were both diagnosed with breast cancer in our 40s.
Listen to The Quicky's episode on why men are more likely to cheat on their sick partners here. Post continues below.
We were both happily married for years to lovely men.
And then, both of those 'lovely' men dumped us, right when we were both in the fight of our lives.
I knew cancer could be a death sentence, but what I never dreamed was that it would be my marriage that became terminal.
Thanks to the glossy charity campaigns, breast cancer is all pink ribbons, women in headscarves smiling bravely as their loving partners and family support them every step of the way.
But cancer is a thief.
It steals your peace of mind, confidence and vitality... But what it also steals, with an alarming frequency for women is their relationships.
After I was newly diagnosed and reeling in shock, I joined a breast cancer Facebook group. The women there were generous, kind and supportive, but it also became very clear this wasn't the case for many of the men in their lives.
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