00s TV star came ‘nose to nose with death’ after cancer diagnosis
'It has been the hardest year of my life.'
00s TV star James Van Der Beek has revealed how he came ‘nose to nose with death’ after being diagnosed with cancer last year.
The star rose to fame in the late 1990s, becoming best known for his portrayal of Dawson Leery in the WB drama Dawson’s Creek.
Last year, he revealed that he had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer – initially blaming issues with his bowel movements on the amount of coffee he’d been drinking.
However, he was shocked when doctors told him that he had colorectal cancer, which usually starts in the colon or rectum.
‘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,’ he told People Magazine in November last year.
The star has given an update on his recent progress, describing the toll his diagnosis and subsequent treatment have taken on him and his family.
James celebrated his birthday last week (Credit: James Van Der Beek/Instagram)In an emotional video posted to his Instagram account on his birthday, James spoke at length about how difficult he’d found the last year.
‘It’s my birthday, and it has been the hardest year of my life, and I wanted to share something that I learned with y’all,’ he began.
Talking of how he had come to define himself as a ‘strong, supportive husband, father and steward of the land,’ he spoke of how he’d been forced to look his own mortality in the eye.
‘I had to come nose to nose with death. And all those definitions that I cared so deeply about were stripped from me,’ James said.
James married wife Kimberley in 2010 (Credit: James Van Der Beek/Instagram)He continued: ‘I was away for treatment, so I could no longer be a husband who was helpful to my wife. I could no longer be a father who could pick up his kids and put them to bed and be there for them. I could not be a provider because I wasn’t working.
‘I couldn’t even be a steward of the land because at times I was too weak to prune all the trees during the window that you’re supposed to prune them.’
Feeling alone and weak, The Rules of Attraction star meditated on his situation, concluding: ‘I am worthy of God’s love simply because I exist. And if I’m worthy of God’s love, shouldn’t I be worthy of my own?’
‘As I move through this healing portal towards recovery, I wanted to share that with you,’ he added, before thanking his followers for their thoughts and prayers.
James found fame as the titular character in Dawson’s Creek (Credit: Shutterstock)In the comments below James’s video, fans, friends and showbiz peers shared messages of support.
‘Love your vulnerability, strength, truth and that I am blessed to have you as a brother,’ wrote his brother, Jared Van Der Beek.
‘GOD bless you. What a beautiful message. God is good. Never loose the Faith, you are an inspiration ????????❤️’ said former Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger.
‘That is it James. That is it. And you my friend are love. A steward of love. A teacher of love !❤️. We love you !!’ wrote Sopranos star Jamie Lynn Sigler.
‘Thank you for your vulnerability and wisdom ❤️ Amen!’ said Battlestar Galactica star Katee Sackhoff – who starred opposite James in a 2015 short film inspired by the Power Rangers.
James has six children with Kimberly (Credit: James Van Der Beek/Instagram)Away from his Hollywood life, James shares six children with his wife Kimberly: Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn, and Jeremiah.
Last year, he spoke of how he’d been forced to reveal his cancer diagnosis sooner than he would have liked, after a tabloid threatened to break the news first.
‘There’s no playbook for how to announce these things,’ he told his fans in an Instagram post. ‘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.
‘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. It’s been quite the initiation, and I’ll tell you more when I’m ready.
An emotional James thanked followers for their prayers (Credit: James Van Der Beek/Instagram)More recently, the star has been funding his treatment by selling merchandise from his 1999 film Varsity Blues.
‘Excited to celebrate the 25th anniversary of #VarsityBlues with a limited edition #4 Moxon jersey — each one personally autographed by me,’ he wrote on Instagram.
‘100% of my net proceeds will go to families recovering from the financial burden of cancer (including my own ????),’ he added, sharing the post to his Instagram story with the hashtag #cancerisexpensive.
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