James Van Der Beek: That’s why he announced cancer now

“Dawson’s Creek” star James Van Der Beek, 47, announced on November 3 that he was diagnosed with colon cancer. Even relatives and friends were apparently surprised by this news. The father of six quickly followed up with a statement on Instagram in which he apologized and explained why he made the illness public so quickly.

Accordingly, he wanted to share his cancer diagnosis on his “own terms.” “There is no script for announcing these things, but I had planned to speak at length with People magazine about it soon…to raise awareness and tell my story in my own way,” the 47-year-old wrote year old to a video clip. He then had to do this faster than planned when he was “informed that a tabloid newspaper would be reporting on the news.”

“I have dealt with this privately so far, seeking treatment and taking care of my overall health with greater focus than ever before,” he continued. He is doing well and feels strong. He had already told “People” that there was “reason for optimism” amid the treatment. Van Der Beek also continues to work.

In his post, the actor then apologized to his relatives and close friends, who only found out about his cancer through the report. “I apologize to all the people in my life that I wanted to tell myself. None of this process happened in the time frame I preferred…”.

At the same time, he also expressed gratitude for the flood of messages he has received since the report. “Please know that my family and I deeply appreciate all the love and support.”

The actor, who became known for the series “Dawson’s Creek” (1998-2003), married his wife Kimberly in 2010. The couple have six children together.