James Van Der Beek recently got candid and opened up about his colorectal cancer diagnosis.
The 48-year-old American actor appeared on Friday, December 19 Today show, where he discussed various topics with Craig Melvin.
During the conversation, Beek revealed that he was first diagnosed with stage three colorectal cancer in 2023 and how he felt after discovering a life-changing disease.
Expressing his thoughts, the Dawson’s Creek star said: “I went into shock. But you know, one of the things I was really lucky about was when I heard the news, I thought, ‘This is going to be the best thing that ever happened to me.'”
He added, “I had a little voice in my head that said, ‘You’re going to make changes in your life that you would never make if you didn’t have this extreme diagnosis, and it will add healthy, happy years to your life.'”
In all honesty, Beek admitted that his battle with cancer gave him a new perspective as he began to appreciate things in a new light.
“I don’t think I knew what it was to slow down before. I don’t think I knew what it was to really look at everything I eat, everything I put into my body,” he joked.
In particular, the “biggest change” that occurred in the Dancing with the star A dancer’s life after a cancer diagnosis was “self-love.”
“What I realized was that I am still worthy of love – my own love, God’s love,” said James Van Der Beek.
