Dawson's Creek actor James Van Der Beek recently opened up about his stage 3 colon cancer diagnosis. He recently sold some of his memorabilia from the show to pay for his treatments, and he's experienced other illnesses due to his weakened immune system.
Back in September, the cast and crew of Dawson's Creek hosted a reunion at New York's Richard Rodgers Theatre, and Van Der Beek was unable to attend due to his health.
Still wishing to address his fans, he submitted a video to be aired during the reunion, in which he said:
"I cannot believe I'm not there."
Van Der Beek's wife and children attended on his behalf, and he felt inspired by the love directed at them.
"They got a standing ovation just for taking their seats. And all that love that would've otherwise been directed at me was directed at my family."
"It was one of the most beautiful moments I've ever gotten to witness."
But his fans' concerns about his gaunt appearance in the video did not escape him, so he made sure to address it during his interview on TODAY with Craig Melvin.
"I'd lost so much weight because of a stomach virus. It was not cancer-related, although with cancer, it's like, 'Why don't we super-size that stomach virus?'"
Fans were relieved to see that Van Der Beek appeared to be doing better than he was during the reunion.
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You can watch the full interview here:
- YouTubewww.youtube.com
Thinking about what his life will be like beyond cancer, Van Der Beek believes that this experience will change everything, as it's transformed how he goes through life, how he interacts with and cares for his family, and how he cares for himself.
By opening himself up to self-love and vulnerability, he's learned the resilience of the people around him and also what they mean to each other during a time of crisis.
But knowing that his fans are thinking of him, some even praying for him, opened up a door of gratitude that Van Der Beek didn't know existed.
Such a heartwarming and inspirational story.
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