American actor James Van Der Beek has died of colon cancer.
His grieving family announced on Wednesday that he had died “peacefully” at the age of 48.
The actor was best known for his role as the title character in the popular American teen drama Dawson’s Creek.
“Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed away peacefully this morning. He spent his final days with courage, faith and grace. There is much to share about his wishes, love for humanity and the sanctity of time,” the statement said.
“Those days will come. For now, we ask for peaceful privacy as we mourn our loving husband, father, son, brother and friend,” the family concluded.
The statement was jointly published on the Instagram accounts of Van Der Beek and his wife Kimberly. The couple had six children.
The number of cases of bowel cancer in young people, like Van Der Beek, is rising more sharply in Britain and in many other countries around the world.
Early-onset bowel cancer in people aged 25 to 49 is increasing worldwide, but England is among the countries with the highest increases, with an average increase of 3.6% per year, according to a study.
The study, published in the journal Lancet OncologyResearch has found that rates of bowel cancer in young people increased in 27 of the 50 countries studied in the ten years to 2017.
Colon cancer symptoms to look out for:
Changes in your stool: This includes softer stools, diarrhea, or constipation that is not normal for you. You may also need to go more or less often than usual.
Blood in your stool: You may notice bright red blood or dark, tarry stools. Sometimes blood is not visible, but is found during a screening test.
Abdominal pain: Persistent bloating, discomfort or a ‘cramping’ feeling in your abdomen, especially if this is caused by food.
Unexplained weight loss: Losing a significant amount of weight without physical activity.
Fatigue: Constantly feeling unusually tired or weak, which may be caused by anemia (a lack of red blood cells) due to hidden bleeding.
A chunk: A doctor may feel a lump in your abdomen or during a rectal exam.
