James Van Der Beek shared why cancer diagnosis was ‘best thing’ that happened to him

James Van Der Beek, who passed away earlier this week at age 48, previously explained why his cancer diagnosis was the 'best thing' that happened to him.

The Dawson's Creek star was diagnosed with cancer back in 2023 following a routine screening that revealed a tumour, but it wasn't until November 2024 that he publicly shared his health news, telling fans he had stage three colorectal cancer.

His family confirmed that he sadly passed away on Wednesday (11 February), with a statement reading: "Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning.

"He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace. There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come.

"For now, we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend."

Van Der Beek's family have since set up a fundraiser to support the late actor's wife, Kimberly, and their six children, Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn and Jeremiah.

The fundraiser has since raised over $2 million for the grieving family.

Before his tragic passing, Van Der Beek shared a number of updates with fans regarding his health.

In his final interview with TODAY, the beloved actor explained that his cancer diagnosis had reshaped how he saw his life.

Around a year after going public with his diagnosis, he sat down with Craig Melvin for an interview where he said the diagnosis taught him he was 'worthy of love'.

"The biggest change I’d say would be this journey of self-love," he said. "What I realised was, I’m still worthy of love. My own love, God’s love."

Van Der Beek had undergone a colonoscopy after noticing something felt off, including changes in bowel habits with the procedure eventually leading to his diagnosis.

He recalled being shocked when he heard the news, but also thinking it was the 'best thing' that ever happened to him.

"I had this little voice in my head that said, 'You’re going to make changes in your life that you would never, ever make if you didn’t have this extreme of a diagnosis'," he said. "And it’s going to add healthy, happy years to your life."

He spoke about eating better, slowing down, and feeling 'overwhelming' gratitude for the support he received.

"(To) have so many people tell me, 'I’m praying for you. I’m wishing you the best. How you doin?'" he said. "I never expected that. I never just stopped to appreciate what I’d done. And I will say, every time somebody says, 'I’m praying for you, and I’m wishing you the best,' I appreciate it."

In that final interview, he said he 'wouldn’t be alive' without his family’s support.

"She just has stepped up as a caretaker, as a nurse, as head of the household," Van Der Beek said, speaking of Kimberly. "As much as I want to shield them from seeing me in any kind of pain or distress - I wanted to be Superman, Super Dad - you realise that resilience is not only something they have and can build, but it’s the best thing for them."

"I watch them deal with it, and I watch them handle situations I would never want to put them in," he added. "And I watch them come out stronger and better people."

Thanking people for their 'outpouring support', he ended with a message: "If anybody takes anything away from this interview, it would be get tested, talk to your doctor."

If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact Macmillan’s Cancer Support Line on 0808 808 00 00, 8am–8pm seven days a week.