James Van Der Beek reveals the symptoms that led to his cancer diagnosis
James Van Der Beek is opening up about how his cancer diagnosis has changed his life for the better.
“I really don’t feel like this is going to end me,” the 47-year-old “Dawson’s Creek” star said in this week’s cover story for People magazine.
“I really feel like this is going to be the biggest life redirect, and I’m going to make changes that I never would’ve made otherwise,” he added. “That I’m going to look back on in a year or five years, 30 years from now and say, ‘Thank God that happened.’”
In the interview, Van Der Beek opens up about the symptoms that caused him to schedule an appointment with a doctor, ultimately leading to a Stage 3 colorectal cancer diagnosis.
“It was just a change in bowel habits,” he said.
He initially tried to change his diet and even cut coffee out of his daily routine but decided it was time to see a doctor when his health didn’t improve.
“I felt really, really good as I was coming out of anesthesia that I had finally done it and looked into it,” he says of the colonoscopy he underwent.
“And as I was coming out of the haze, the gastroenterologist said, in his most pleasant bedside manner, it is cancer,” Van Der Beek revealed.
What started as a routine colonoscopy resulted in an entirely new outlook on life—and what he describes as a new “full-time job.”
Scheduling appointments, dealing with insurance and cataloging results are just some of the things that take up his time these days.
But of all the changes in his life, the most meaningful and eye-opening ones were those that he made to his diet.
“I think the country is waking up to connecting with our food and recognizing just how much it’s processed and how far away it’s gotten from the way nature intended,” he told People.
Van Der Beek now follows a diet that avoids processed foods, gluten and dairy products, while prioritizing organic vegetables he grows in his garden.
He also exercises regularly and prioritizes his mental health.
“You need to break down sometimes,” he said in the interview. “But I have a lot more self-love and self-acceptance toward myself now. … I had no idea how negative my self-talk was before this.”
Van Der Beek revealed his diagnosis in an Instagram post on Nov. 3.
He initially wanted to wait before making the announcement but felt rushed when he learned of a tabloid that was going to “run with the news” anyway.
“I’ve been dealing with this privately until now, getting treatment and dialing in my overall health with greater focus than ever before,” he wrote in the post.
“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 continued.
When he’s not receiving treatment, he’s keeping himself busy with new work.
The “Varsity Blues” actor recently teamed up with several other celebrities for Fox’s upcoming TV special “The Real Full Monty.”
The special will see Van Der Beek and the other celebrities raise awareness for prostate, testicular and colorectal cancer, according to Us Weekly.
