James Van Der Beek Forced to Share Cancer News Early
Telling your family and loved ones you were diagnosed with a serious illness is difficult enough. Now imagine being James Van Der Beek, who rose to fame as Dawson Leery on Dawson’s Creek; he had to share this news even before he was ready.
James Van Der Beek Taking the Narrative
Van Der Beek originally planned to share his colorectal cancer in an interview with People. However, he decided to share his story sooner to get ahead of a tabloid that was planning to break his news.
Per Fox News, “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.”
The Bad Hair star even had to apologize to loved ones who heard it from news outlets instead of him. In an interview with People, Van Der Beek said, “Apologies to all the people in my life who I’d planned on telling myself. Nothing about this process has occurred on my preferred timeline… But we roll with it, taking each surprise as a signpost, pointing us toward a greater destiny than we would have discovered without divine intervention. Please know that my family and I deeply appreciate all the love and support. More to come …”
How He’s Coping With His Diagnosis
Per People, Van Der Beek has already been “privately dealing” with his diagnosis. The actor is also optimistic, “There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good.” The New York Post also reported that the Labor Day actor is “in a good place and feeling strong,” and will share more once he’s ready.
In his Instagram post, James Van Der Beek also mentioned how he and his family appreciate “all the love and support” he’s been receiving.
His wife of 14 years, Kimberly Brook, with whom he shares six children, commented, “I love you baby,” with a red heart emoji.
The Rise of Colon Cancer Among Young People
Van Der Beek’s diagnosis has raised awareness for the rising number of young people being diagnosed with colorectal cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, as published by ABC News, “Colon cancer is now the No. 1 cause of death among men younger than 50, and the No. 2 cause of death in women of the same age group.”
