James Van Der Beek, the beloved star of the hit series Dawson’s Creek, has opened up about a recent diagnosis of colorectal cancer.
Sharing a statement with PEOPLE on Sunday, the 47-year-old star disclosed 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,” he said in an exclusive statement.
“There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good," the Varsity Blues star added.
On his Instagram account, he also posted a detailed note about his cancer diagnosis.
"It is cancer … Each year, approximately 2 billion people around the world receive this diagnosis. And I’m one of them," Van Der Beek began.
He added, "There’s no playbook for how 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."
Revealing about his cancer, he disclosed that he’d "been dealing with this privately until now, getting treatment and dialing in my overall health with greater focus than ever before.”
Van Der Beek added, "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."
He also apologized for not sharing timeline with others, expressing gratitude for support and love.
Van Der Beek shared a video compilation of photos of himself alone and with his children, set to "Autumn Breeze" by Richard LaForge.
