Shannen Doherty's Husband Cheated On Her before Her Brain Surgery

• Shannen Doherty and her husband, Kurt Iswarienko, were married for 11 years.
• Doherty gushed about how her husband stood by her side as she battled breast cancer.
• However, now, having been diagnosed with stage four cancer, the actress is divorcing Iswarienko, who betrayed her.

Shannen Doherty and her husband, Kurt Iswarienko, have supported each other through good and bad. Doherty started dating the celebrity photographer in 2008, and three years later, they got engaged. The pair wed on October 15, 2011, in a glamorous wedding in Malibu.

They exchanged vows at sunset at a black-tie ceremony at a private estate hidden in the hills. Before this marriage, Doherty had been in short-lived unions with Ashley Hamilton and Rick Salomon.

A year before she and Iswarienko tied the knot, the actress had said that marriage was an enormous commitment for her and something she'd never go into lightly anymore. "I've learnt my lesson," she added.

Doherty recently opened up about her marriage to Iswarienko, shedding more light on their breakup.

The actress and her husband embarked on a loving journey for over a decade, during which Doherty would take to Instagram to celebrate the special man in her life. In 2019, she shared a gorgeous picture of her and Iswarienko, writing that her happy place got better when he came into her life:

"I couldn't love this man more. He gets me. I get him. Boredom is never a factor. He continues to fascinate me with his talent, humor, intelligence. His love and support lift me up constantly. In short, I'm pretty damn lucky."

In 2016, Doherty also celebrated her other half in a long and emotional post on Instagram. She posted a picture of them on their wedding day and noted how, on that day, they made a commitment to love each other:

"For better or worse, in sickness or in health to love and cherish one another. Those vows have never meant more than they do now. Kurt has stood by my side thru sickness and makes me feel more loved now than ever."

The "Beverly Hills, 90210" star pointed out how blessed she was to find her partner who didn't abandon her during her health challenges. If situations were exchanged, Doherty promised to take a bullet for Iswarienko and slay dragons with him.

Doherty's Battle with Cancer and Iswarienko's Support

Doherty revealed in August 2015 that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer and was undergoing treatment. The actress said she was first diagnosed in March 2015 when she learned that she had invasive breast cancer metastatic to at least one lymph node.

She was grateful to her family, friends, fans, and doctors who stood by her side, treated her, and supported her through the health crisis. Doherty underwent a mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation, and in April 2017, she posted on her Instagram that she was in remission.

Doherty went into this surgery just after she discovered that her marriage was over.

Before her 2017 announcement, the actress talked about how her husband was a rock-solid support as she battled breast cancer. In an interview in 2016, Doherty admitted that she couldn't have gotten through the health crisis without her husband. She added that cancer strengthened their bond:

"My marriage was always strong, but it's made my marriage a thousand times stronger. He's never missed a chemo. He's never missed a sick day."

The "Charmed" star also recalled how Iswarienko waited for her in the driveway after she called him with the news that she had breast cancer. Upon arrival, Iswarienko hugged her and said:

"You're powerful, and you're not going anywhere. You have so much to do in your life. We are going to get through it as a family."

At first, Doherty was strong and willing to fight the disease, but then she started thinking she wasn't going to be alive. So, when she was in New York with her husband, eating out at an Italian restaurant in Brooklyn, she told him:

"You better enjoy every single second that you have with me ... 'cause I'm going to be dead in five years."

Iswarienko burst out crying and told her she could not say that. Thankfully, the actress's family and friends helped her get through this bleak season, and soon, she was determined to live again. Doherty even admitted she and her husband discussed having children in the future. He had informed her:

"Let's get you healthy. Let's focus on you and once you get healthy, and you're OK, if you want to adopt, then let's adopt."

Unfortunately, Iswarienko and Doherty never achieved this dream. After being in remission from 2017, the cancer returned in 2019, and the actress announced her diagnosis of stage four cancer in 2020. In June 2023, Doherty gave another health update on Instagram, saying that the cancer had spread to her brain.

Five months before this announcement, the movie star had undergone surgery to remove a tumor, which she nicknamed Bob. The surgery was the scariest thing she had ever undergone in her entire life, as she was afraid of bad outcomes, including coming out of the surgery and not being herself anymore.

As Doherty battles stage four cancer, she is also saying goodbye to her 11-year marriage to Iswarienko. The actress filed for divorce in May 2023 and has spoken out about how her husband betrayed her.

Doherty's Husband Betrayal

Doherty's representative, Leslie Sloane, told TMZ that when the actress filed for divorce from Iswarienko, it was the last thing she wanted, but she had no other option. A source close to Doherty said the divorce was acrimonious, making things more difficult for the actress as she is living with stage four cancer.

The divorce documents indicated that Doherty is asking for spousal support but for none of it to be given to Iswarienko. Sources also revealed that the pair have no prenup. Doherty recently opened up about her marriage to Iswarienko, shedding more light on their breakup. She spoke out on her memoir-style podcast, "Let's Be Clear with Shannen Doherty," which premiered on December 6, 2023, on iHeartRadio.

The actress said when she had brain surgery, she didn't think she was going to make it. "I was positive that I was gonna die," she confessed. Doherty went into this surgery just after she discovered that her marriage was over. She explained:

"My husband had been carrying on an affair for two years."

Iswarienko wanted to accompany her to the surgery, but the actress couldn't go into the operation with him there. "I felt so betrayed. At the end of the day, I just fell so incredibly unloved by someone I was with for 14 years, by someone that, you know, I loved with all my heart," she narrated.

Still, Doherty wasn't alone as her mother, brother, best friend, and friends accompanied her to her brain surgery. Even with family and friends by her side, she was scared. So, the actress told her doctor that if removing the tumor would take away her ability to walk, then they shouldn't do it. "Don't do anything that's gonna change me as a human being," she explained.

Luckily, the surgery went well, and Doherty remained who she was. Still, the doctor couldn't get all the tumors out, so the actress is continuing with treatment. Even with these challenges, the 52-year-old said she doesn't want to die.

Doherty is not done creating, living, and loving. She still wants to change things for the better. The actress plans to use her podcast to discuss past relationships, career highlights, health regimens, and the several stages of her cancer illness.