Washington [US]: Actor James Van Der Beek has been diagnosed with colorectal cancer and now he has apologised to people who came to know about his illness through social media, reported E! News.
He wrote on his Instagram handle, “Apologies to all the people in my life who I’d planned on telling myself,” adding, “Nothing about this process has occurred on my preferred timeline… But we roll with it, taking each surprise as a signpost, pointing us toward a greater destiny than we would have discovered without divine intervention.”
He continued, “There’s no playbook for how to announce these things, but I’d planned on talking about it at length with People magazine at some point soon… to raise awareness and tell my story on my own terms. But that plan had to be altered early this morning when I was informed that a tabloid was going to run with the news.”
He shared that he has been discussing the illness with his family and loved ones, including his wife Kimberly Van Der Beek and their six children, Olivia, 14, Joshua, 12, Annabel, 10, Emilia, 8, Gwendolyn, 6, and Jeremiah, 3.
“I’ve been dealing with this privately until now, getting treatment and dialling in my overall health with greater focus than ever before,” he continued. “I’m in a good place and feeling strong. It’s been quite the initiation, and I’ll tell you more when I’m ready.”
He also expressed gratitude for the responses he received, “Please know that my family and I deeply appreciate all the love and support,” he concluded, before promising, “More to come…”
He added, “There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good,” reported E! News.
He is known for his portrayal of Dawson Leery on ‘Dawson’s Creek’, ABC sitcom ‘Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23’ and appeared as Matt Bromley on the first season of the FX drama Pose. His film credits include Varsity Blues, Texas Rangers, The Rules of Attraction, Formosa Betrayed, Labor Day, and Bad Hair.