James Van Der Beek is known for his roles in One Tree Hill and Dawson’s Creek confirmed to PEOPLE that he’s been diagnosed with colorectal cancer. “I have colorectal cancer. I’ve been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family,” the actor told the outlet. “There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good,” he added.
Colorectal cancer, per the American Cancer Society, affects the colon or the rectum and makes its way up to the intestines. James Van Der Beek continued to work despite his diagnosis, he recently appeared in an episode of Walker and is set to star in Sidelined: The QB and Me, a Tubi original film that will be released on November 29.
The actor has also been prioritizing his family which includes his wife Kimberly Van Der Beek and their six kids: Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn, and Jeremiah. In June, the group took a trip to Egypt and shared tons of pictures from their trip on Instagram.
“#Egypt… With all my vocabulary, ‘Wow’ is what fell out of my mouth most of the time. We were gifted a magical experience, one I’m still processing – and might be for the rest of my life,” he wrote in the caption.
He also mentioned how his kids were rock stars for him, his friends became as close as brothers “Despite all the travel and time zone crossing and early-morning alarms, I feel recharged,” he added. In December, the actor is set to appear on The Real Full Monty, a special show where male celebrities strip down to raise awareness for prostate, testicular, and colorectal cancer testing and research.
The special’s co-star Taye Diggs spoke to PEOPLE about the show which is inspired 1997 film The Full Monty and executive produced by Anthony Anderson. The Real Full Monty is set to premiere on December 9.
