James Van Der Beek has been candid about his well being ups and downs since saying he was recognized with colorectal most cancers in November 2024.
“Every year, roughly 2 billion folks around the globe obtain this analysis. And I'm one in all them,” the Dawson's Creek alum shared in an Instagram post on the time, noting that he was “in place and feeling robust” whereas present process therapy.
In keeping with the American Cancer Society, colorectal most cancers begins within the colon or rectum and could be known as colon or rectal most cancers relying on the place the illness varieties.
Van Der Beek opened up additional about his analysis in a November 2024 interview with People. “I've been privately coping with this analysis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the help of my unimaginable household,” he advised the outlet, noting that his most cancers was already at stage 3. “There's cause for optimism, and I'm feeling good.”
Van Der Beek shares six children — Olivia, 14, Joshua, 13, Annabel, 11, Emilia, 8, Gwendolyn, 6, and Jeremiah, 3 — along with his spouse, Kimberly, whom he wed in 2010.
Scroll right down to see what else Van Der Beek has stated about his most cancers journey:
Getting Identified
In a November 2024 video interview with Individuals, Van Der Beek recalled present process a colonoscopy in the summertime of 2023 after noticing some well being adjustments. “As I used to be popping out of the haze, the gastroenterologist stated in his most nice bedside method, ‘It's most cancers,'” he shared. “And I feel I went into shock a bit bit.”
Van Der Beek in contrast having most cancers to having a “full-time job,” from scheduling appointments, maintaining monitor of check outcomes and coping with insurance coverage. Shortly after his colonoscopy, the actor discovered his most cancers was “localized” nevertheless it was stage 3.
“I actually didn't really feel like this was gonna finish me. I actually felt like, ‘That is gonna be the largest life redirect. I'm gonna make adjustments that I by no means would have made in any other case that I'm gonna look again on in a 12 months, 5 years, 30 years from now and say, ‘Thank God that occurred,'” he stated. “And that's how I used to be about 90 % of the time. After which, 10 % of the time, I used to be a sobbing, terrified mess.”
Household First
“My children have been so supportive and so loving and so tender,” Van Der Beek stated in his November 2024 Individuals video interview. “And also you hate to look at them should develop up in that means however you watch them actually put you first, which, as a father, is, like, heartwarming and likewise devastating.”
Van Der Beek famous that though his children are “scared” for his well being, his analysis has additionally turn out to be “an actual alternative for connection, to be there with them and actually dig in deep and ask them to specific their ideas, their fears [and] their considerations.”
He went on to joke, “I've requested each physician I've had, ‘What are the chances — and also you be straight with me — that I can get my children to cease calling it butt most cancers?' And I'll say, the prognosis is rarely good on that one.”
(Picture by Alex Goodlett/Getty Photographs for Operation Smile) James Van Der Beek has damaged his silence after saying his analysis of colorectal most cancers. Van Der Beek, 47, shared a slideshow through Instagram on Saturday, November 3, which featured a number of photographs of the Dawson's Creek alum set to Richard La Forge's tune “Autumn Breeze.” Van Der […]
Excessive Hopes
In his People interview, Van Der Beek advised the outlet he's “cautiously optimistic” about his most cancers restoration. “Once I've been out of the woods utterly for what seems like a accountable period of time, I'll circle again and allow you to know,” he stated. “I've so much to reside for.”
He additionally famous that his analysis gave him newfound physique consciousness. “Should you've heard about it, I've in all probability touched on it,” he said. “This has been a crash course within the mastery of thoughts, physique, and spirit. I believed, ‘That is both going to take me out of the physique, or it's going to show me learn how to really reside in it.'”
Companion in Crime
Whereas reflecting on his “robust 12 months” in a November 2024 Instagram post, Van Der Beek gushed concerning the help he's acquired from Kimberly. “I'm extra grateful than ever to my tremendous human spouse who has proven up on ranges I by no means knew doable,” he wrote alongside a candy household photograph. “Who has proven me what unconditional love is and the magic that comes from that. I'm in awe of you, @vanderkimberly.”
That very same month, Van Der Beek advised Individuals he couldn't “get by means of this” with out his spouse. “And as a lot because it sucked to be me on this previous 12 months … there's not a second that I'd ever have wished to commerce together with her and have it's her watching me undergo that. She is extraordinary.”
Elevating Funds
Van Der Beek offered restricted editions of his Varsity Blues jersey to lift funds for households coping with most cancers. “100% of my web proceeds will go to households recovering from the monetary burden of most cancers (together with my very own 😇),” he captioned the since-deleted November 2024 Instagram put up.
Kimberly Van Der Beek is there for husband James Van Der Beek following his most cancers analysis. “I really like you child 🤍,” Kimberly, 42, wrote within the feedback part of the actor's prolonged Instagram message concerning his well being, which he shared Sunday, November 3. James, 47, uploaded a slideshow of pensive photographs set to the tune […]
Spreading Consciousness
Van Der Beek was one in all a number of stars who stripped down to lift cash for most cancers testing and analysis throughout Fox's December 2024 The Actual Full Monty particular. “I discovered simply how a lot I actually worth group to not undergo one thing by yourself,” he completely advised Us Weekly of engaged on the venture. “I was fairly solitary and simply not ask for assist. And being part of this group actually made me notice simply how vital that's and the way a lot I appreciated it.”
He additionally highlighted the significance of getting examined and having conversations about your well being with a physician. “No matter stigma that you just would possibly exist round it's nothing in comparison with what might occur if you happen to don't get examined. So get out and do it,” Van Der Beek advised Us.
Emotional Toll
Van Der Beek shared that his bodily well being was “actually good” throughout a December 2024 look on Good Morning America, however revealed his psychological well being took successful. “Emotionally, you already know, it's so much. It's actually a trip,” he stated on the ABC morning present.
Noting that he was “in shock” after getting his analysis, he continued, “I had a complete agenda for what I believed my 12 months can be and what I believed my priorities can be … and the truth that every one of that was going to vary and take a special trajectory — it felt like a nightmare, truthfully, at first.”
Fatherly Love
Van Der Beek praised his father, James, for being a help system all through his most cancers journey whereas wishing his dad Glad Birthday via Instagram in January 2025. “The best way you might have proven up once I've been down and out this 12 months — with out us having to ask, with out the expectation of even a thanks… has been not simply life-saving, however life affirming,” he captioned his put up. “Transferring onto the ranch for once I'm away for therapy. Making lunches, making fires for @vanderkimberly, driving children, even caring for the canine and chickens (neither of which you ever wished and would simply as quickly by no means have had 🤣).”
He went on to state that he's “blown away” by how his dad has “been there for me emotionally as I've moved by means of all the pieces most cancers brings up,” including, “I do know it's outdoors your consolation zone, however particularly since Mother died, you might have come by means of for me time and again and once more in ways in which I didn't even know the way a lot I wanted.” (Van Der Beek's mom, Melinda, died at age 70 in July 2020.)
James Van Der Beek made his first purple carpet look since saying his stage III colorectal most cancers battle. Van Der Beek, 47, stepped out on the premiere of Sidelined: The QB and Me in Los Angeles on Thursday, November 14. He sported a brown, checked swimsuit with a persimmon-colored sweater beneath. The actor stars in […]
Shut Name
Van Der Beek commemorated his forty eighth birthday in March 2025 by sharing what he's discovered from his most cancers journey this far. “After which this 12 months, I needed to look my very own mortality within the eye. I got here nostril to nostril with demise,” he stated in an Instagram video. “All of these definitions that I cared so deeply about had been stripped from me. I used to be away for therapy so I might now not be a husband who was useful to my spouse. I might now not be a father who might decide up his children and put them to mattress and be there for them.”
The CSI: Cyber alum stated he was “confronted with the query that if I used to be simply right here to be a too-skinny, weak man, alone, in an residence with most cancers, what am I?” Fortunately, he discovered solace in self-love. “I meditated and the reply got here by means of. I'm worthy of God's love, just because I exist. And if I'm worthy of God's love, shouldn't I be worthy of my very own?” he advised followers.
Honesty With His Children
Van Der Beek opened up about how he and his spouse defined his most cancers analysis to their children throughout a July 2025 look on Today.
“I'm removed from an professional, however our method was simply to be as sincere as doable, as sincere to the diploma of their understanding, proper? As a result of they know,” he stated, including that his youngsters can “sense that Dad's having a tricky day.”
“They know if Dad's in ache. They know, and so by not telling them, I feel you're complicated them much more,” Van Der Beek continued.
Van Der Beek stated that youngsters' resilience could be shocking and inspired different dad and mom who're experiencing the identical factor to be sincere about their journeys.
“While you inform them what you're doing and also you inform them the method, they will see it they usually can really feel it, and I feel it's additionally, your journey is their journey,” he defined. “I've children making me tea. ‘Dad, what do you want?' There's been plenty of magnificence that's come out of it, however I'd love to save lots of all people [from] this journey, which is why I'm saying get screened.”
Stunning Analysis
In a July 2025 interview with Today.com, Van Der Beek inspired others to observe colon most cancers screening pointers.
“Even simply the slightest little change, it could possibly be one thing, however … don't assume that not having signs means you don't should get screened, particularly for one thing that's this curable when caught early,” he stated. “That's actually what I wish to get throughout. I ate in addition to I might. I used to be wholesome. I used to be in superb cardiovascular form. There was no cause in my thoughts that I ought to have gotten a optimistic analysis.”
Lacking the ‘Dawson's Creek' Reunion — Kind Of
Van Der Beek was set to seem on the reside studying of the Dawson's Creek pilot on the Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway on September 22, 2025, which was organized to lift cash for F Most cancers. Nevertheless, he introduced through Instagram on September 21 that he wouldn't be capable of attend in particular person alongside his former castmates as a consequence of sickness.
“That is the night I'd been wanting ahead to MOST since my angel Michelle Williams stated she was placing it collectively, means again in January… So you'll be able to think about how gutted I used to be when two abdomen viruses conspired to knock me out of fee and preserve me grounded on the worst doable second,” he wrote. “Regardless of each effort … I received't get to be there. I received't get to face on that stage and thank each soul within the theater for displaying up for me, and towards most cancers, once I wanted it most.”
Van Der Beek was changed by Lin-Manuel Miranda within the function of Dawson.
He continued, “However I DO have an understudy. A ridiculously overqualified substitute who would have been #1 on my wishlist (had I ever dreamed he'd be out there). Somebody my children would undoubtedly contemplate an improve over me. Everybody please get pleasure from all of the love in that room. Shine some on my household. I shall be beaming and receiving from afar in a mattress in Austin.”
Van Der Beek finally stunned followers by making an look just about through a prerecorded message performed initially of the occasion.
“I can't consider I'm not there,” he stated. “I can't consider I don't get to hug my castmates, my lovely forged, in particular person, and I simply wished to face on that stage and thank each single particular person on this theater for being right here tonight — from the forged to the crew to all people who donated their time and has been so beneficiant. And particularly each single final one in all you. You're the perfect followers on this planet. Thanks for coming.”
