James Van Der Beek Recalls Going 'Into Shock' After Learning Cancer Diagnosis

James Van Der Beek is opening up about his diagnosis and that he did not ease into his new reality with stage 3 cancer!

The actor detailed his experience upon learning about cancer despite leading a seemingly perfect life and maintaining an almost flawless health record.

James Van Der Beek is currently living with stage 3 colorectal cancer at 47 and drawing strength from the love of his family and loved ones.

Everything seemed to be running smoothly for the actor until the summer of 2023, when he noticed drastic changes in his bowel function and blamed it on his diet.

“I thought maybe I needed to stop coffee,” he began and added, “Or maybe not put cream in the coffee. But when I cut that out and it didn’t improve, I thought, ‘All right, I better get this checked out.’”

He then went in for a colonoscopy, still feeling his best as he got out of anesthesia after the procedure. To his utmost surprise, he had a serious problem. The actor noted:

“Then the gastroenterologist said — in his most pleasant bedside manner — that it was cancer. I think I went into shock.”

It all felt strange to the actor, who explained that he had no reason to suspect that he would face such a scary diagnosis at this stage in his life.  He continued that he had no family history of cancer and he took care of his body through exercise and a healthy diet.

“I’d always associated cancer with age and with unhealthy, sedentary lifestyles. But I was in amazing cardiovascular shape. I tried to eat healthy — or as far as I knew it at the time,” James stated to PEOPLE.

James decided to address his new ailment head on by going into treatments including surgery and chemotherapy. While staying coy about everything he does to manage his condition, the actor declared: “If you’ve heard about it, I’ve probably touched on it.” The actor explained:

“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.’”  

Despite his positive outlook on the disease, he admitted things get bleak sometimes. “The trickiest thing is there are so many unknowns with cancer,” he says before explaining that:

“You think, ‘How do I fix this? Is this healing me? Is this hurting me? Is this working? Is it coming back?’ As someone who likes answers, not knowing is one of the hardest things."

James shared that he is feeling positive but has decided not to share any news about stages of recovery or remission. “I’m very cautiously optimistic. I’m in a place of healing, my energy levels are great.” the actor noted.

He declared that when his recovery process is substantial enough and remained consistent for a steady amount of time, he will let the people know, adding: “I have a lot to live for.”

As shared by the American Cancer Society, 1 in 5 new colorectal cancer diagnoses are among people under the age of 55, up from 1 in 10 in 1995.

Although James wanted to release the news of his struggle on his terms, that plan was torpedoed by a blog. The Blast reported that the father-of-six took to his Instagram page to get ahead of the narrative with an emotional post. The caption partly read:

"I’ve been dealing with this privately until now, getting treatment and dialing in my overall health with greater focus than ever before."

He added that he was feeling good about the situation, noting that “there’s reason for optimism.” Colorectal cancer, also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer, is a type of cancer that affects the large intestine (colon and rectum).

According to the American Cancer Society, Colorectal Cancer also known as Colon or Rectal cancer usually starts as growth [polyps] in the colon or rectum's inner lining before multiplying uncontrollably to form a tumor. 

The movie star prioritized spending quality time with his loved ones by going on a trip to Egypt and sharing clips from the journey on his social media.

“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," the actor penned down in the caption.

He added that the bond between everyone on the trip grew closer, noting that: “despite the travel and time zone crossing and early-morning alarms, I feel re-charged.” In his concluding paragraph, James stated:

“These were holy places, built to connect to the divine as best they understood it at the time. I left with reverence and awe - my eyes, heart, and soul expanded. Deepest thanks to everyone who made it.”

James Van Der Beek is superman and a shining light to everyone battling bowel cancer!