'Dawson's Creek' star James Van Der Beek reveals he has colorectal cancer
American actor James Van Der Beek has revealed he has colorectal cancer.
The Dawson's Creek star shared his diagnosis in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE Magazine on Nov. 3.
"I’ve been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family,” the 47-year-old actor said.
"There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good.”
According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer starts in the colon or the rectum. Growths called polyps appear in the inner lining of the organs.
Even with cancer, Van Der Beek continues to work in film and TV series like Walker and Sidelined: The QB and Me, which will be released on Nov. 29.
The actor is also prioritizing his time with his wife Kimberly and their kids Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn, and Jeremiah.
On Instagram, the CSI: Cyber actor penned a lengthy message about how he was supposed to announce his diagnosis.
"There's no playbook for how [to] announce these things, but I'd planned on talking about it at length with People [Magazine] at some point soon... to raise awareness and tell my story on my own terms. But that plan had to be altered early this morning when I was informed that a tabloid was going to run with the news," he said.
"I've been dealing with this privately until now, getting treatment and dialing in my overall health with greater focus than ever before. I'm in a good place and feeling strong," the actor added.
Van Der Beek continued to say that he would share more about the experience when he's ready.
He also apologized to people in his life he wanted to tell the news personally.
Van Der Beek is known for his roles in Dawson's Creek, Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23, CSI: Cyber, Pose, Varsity Blues, Texas Rangers, Labor Day, Bad Hair, and more.
