James Van Der Beek recalls being in 'shock' the moment he learned about his stage 3 colorectal cancer

AUSTIN, TEXAS: James Van Der Beek, broke his silence about his health struggles following his stage 3 colorectal cancer diagnosis.

The 'Dawson's Creek' star revealed the health issue on November 3 and shared that the diagnosis which came when he was 46 years old, left him in shock.

James Van Der Beek wants to raise awareness about colorectal cancer

Sharing his journey in an effort to raise awareness about a disease that is increasingly affecting adults under the age of 55, Van Der Beek said, "I've been dealing with this pretty much in secret for a while."

The 47-year-old actor noted that he finds it "helpful and cathartic" to be open about his experiences, adding, "I really wanted to raise awareness."

Despite leading a healthy lifestyle and having no family history of cancer, Van Der Beek was blindsided by his diagnosis.

"I’d always associated cancer with age and with unhealthy, sedentary lifestyles," he explained.

The actor, who lives on a ranch in Texas with his wife Kimberly and their six children, took great care of his health, exercising regularly and eating mindfully.

In the summer of 2023, he began noticing changes in his bowel movements, initially dismissing them as dietary issues.

"I thought maybe I needed to stop coffee, or maybe not put cream in the coffee," he recalled.

However, when these changes persisted despite dietary adjustments, he decided to get checked.

James Van Der Beek's life-changing colonoscopy

A routine colonoscopy eventually confirmed that he had concer. "I felt really good coming out of anesthesia, thinking I’d finally done it,” said James Van Der Beek.

“The gastroenterologist, in his most pleasant bedside manner, said it was cancer. I think I went into shock,” he told People.

The actor immediately began treatment, though he remains private about the specifics of his medical regimen.

"If you've heard about it, I’ve probably touched on it," he said.

For Van Der Beek, grappling with cancer has been an emotional rollercoaster as he reflected, "This has been a crash course in the mastery of mind, body, and spirit."

"I thought, ‘This is either going to take me out of the body, or it’s going to teach me how to truly live in it,’” he shared.

"The trickiest thing is there are so many unknowns with cancer," he confessed, adding, "As someone who likes answers, not knowing is one of the hardest things."

James Van Der Beek says he's 'cautiously optimistic'

While James Van Der Beek remains hopeful, he is cautious about discussing his current health status as he refrains from talking about remission but says he is feeling good.

"I’m very cautiously optimistic. I’m in a place of healing, my energy levels are great," he shared.

"When I’ve been out of the woods completely for what feels like a responsible amount of time, I’ll circle back and let you know," he added.

Van Der Beek who is continuing his journey toward recovery remains focused on the love and support of his family concluded saying, “I have a lot to live for."