Shannen Doherty says cancer "solidified" her marriage.
Shannen Doherty and Kurt Iswarienko
The 48-year-old actress has been married to Kurt Iswarienko since 2011 and she says that being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 and undergoing gruelling chemotherapy and radiation brought them even closer together.
She told PEOPLE: "Cancer solidified us. Kurt and I have a much deeper appreciation for each other now. It's not that our marriage wasn't good before. But we were definitely going through some growing pains. We would lock horns on things, and instead of resolving it, we wouldn't speak for a couple of days."
Shannen also revealed that the pair have not had an argument since before her diagnosis.
She said: "We don't let a night go by mad at each other. The last time we had a big argument was pre-cancer.
"For anybody to think that the only person altered by cancer is the person with cancer is incredibly wrong. Cancer alters the people in your life. And it's shaped both of us. We look at life very differently now.
"Kurt and I look at each other with such profound respect now. He was my rock in every way possible, and he made sure I knew how much he loved and valued me. We have a much deeper appreciation [for each other] now, and a much larger capacity for forgiveness."
Shannen also praised her husband for helping her to appreciate her post-cancer body.
She said: "I don't have to be a sexy little vixen. How Kurt sees me really helps me be a better person. He was always like, 'I've never seen someone handle something so difficult with so much grace. You're so strong'. And I figured out, it's a quiet strength. And that is far sexier and appealing than I had before."
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