James Van Der Beek Tears Up Sharing Health Update After Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis: 'Emotionally, It's a Lot'
The actor shared an emotional health update following his cancer diagnosis on 'Good Morning America' on Dec. 3
The actor shared an emotional health update following his cancer diagnosis on 'Good Morning America' on Dec. 3 Good Morning America/X James Van Der Beek on 'Good Morning America':max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/james-van-der-beek-gma-120324-1-156f94b600e546bb9a5f836394985bb3.jpg "James Van Der Beek Tears Up Sharing Health Update After Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis")
James Van Der Beek got emotional on Tuesday, Dec. 3 while discussing his family’s support was he undergoes treatment for stage 3 colorectal cancer.
During a sit down with Robin Roberts on Good Morning America, his first TV interview since confirming news of his diagnosis with PEOPLE, the Varsity Blues actor, 47, teared up as he recalled his wife Kimberley’s support at this difficult time.
“She’s been amazing," he said. "She’s really taught me what unconditional love is.”
“I’m someone who has always in the past tried to do everything for everybody and never asked for help myself and this has put me in a position of having to ask for help but having to receive help,” he continued. “And the beautiful blessing of that has been seeing how many people in my life have shown up.”
Earlier in the interview, Beek — who is set to appear in ABC's upcoming The Real Full Monty — shared a health update after being diagnosed with colorectal cancer last summer. “Physically, I'm great. I’m feeling really good. Emotionally, you know, it's a lot. It's really a ride,” he told Roberts, 64.
“Physically, I’m great. Emotionally, it’s a lot.”
Actor James Van Der Beek tells @robinroberts “it felt like a nightmare” when he was first diagnosed with colorectal cancer. https://t.co/kBwEIEtLCH@vanderjames pic.twitter.com/eom3p49VzA— Good Morning America (@GMA) December 3, 2024
Speaking about his reaction to learning of his cancer diagnosis, he said, “I was honestly in shock … I had a whole agenda for what I thought my year would be and what I thought my priorities would be … and the reality that all of that was going to change and take a different trajectory — it felt like a nightmare honestly at first.”
Despite the fear and upset that set in at the time, Beek said “as soon as I got diagnosed, I knew this is going to add many happy years to my life.”
“I'm going to make changes that I never would have made otherwise, that I'm gonna look back on thirty years and say, ‘Thank God this happened.’ So what can I do right now in order to make that the case,” he recalled. “And that's how it was about 90% of the time. I would say that about 10% of the time I was a sobbing, terrified mess.”
The Dawson’s Creek alum said of his cancer diagnosis that ‘there is a purpose to this” in sharing and bringing more awareness to colorectal cancer to the public.
Related: James Van Der Beek Is 'Thankful' and 'Grateful' This Thanksgiving Following Recent Cancer Diagnosis Michael Kovac/Getty James and his wife Kimberly Van Der Beek pictured in July 2019
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Beek opened up to PEOPLE about his cancer diagnosis earlier this month. "I’ve been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family. There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good,” he shared.
The star's appearance on GMA comes after he shared a reflective Thanksgiving post along with photos of him with wife Kimberley and their six children to mark the holiday on Nov. 28.
“It’s been a tough year… and I’m thankful for all of it,” Beek wrote in his caption.
Good Morning America airs weekdays on ABC beginning at 7 a.m. ET.
